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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: field · suit · object · cue · drill · plane · leaves · branch

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. suit — clothes
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. field — for sport
  7. suit — to fit
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. branch — a division
  10. drill — the tool
  11. field — farmland
  12. object — an aim
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. suit — in cards
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cue — for pool
  17. object — to protest
  18. field — a subject
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. object — a thing
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. drill — a practice

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