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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · plane · field · ball · march · fan

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ball — a dance
  5. field — a subject
  6. march — the month
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. field — for sport
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. march — music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. march — the month
  17. field — farmland
  18. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com