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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: field · plane · drill · roll · rock · wave · club · safe

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. club — for golf
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. field — farmland
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. club — a group
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. drill — army training
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. drill — a practice
  14. club — for dancing
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. drill — the tool
  17. field — for sport
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. field — a subject
  21. plane — a tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — a cake

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