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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: kick · plane · field · sharp · craft · pass · swing · content

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pass — a permit
  3. field — for sport
  4. kick — in football
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. field — farmland
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. field — a subject
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. swing — music
  17. plane — a tool
  18. content — the amount
  19. craft — a skill
  20. sharp — clever
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. content — happy
  24. swing — in golf

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