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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 124 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: last · suit · plane · wave · field · spring · firm · rash

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. spring — the season
  4. plane — a tool
  5. suit — clothes
  6. firm — a company
  7. field — for sport
  8. spring — a coil
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. field — farmland
  12. firm — steady
  13. last — final
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. firm — decided
  16. suit — to fit
  17. last — finally
  18. spring — of water
  19. last — to go on
  20. rash — a series
  21. field — a subject
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. suit — in cards

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