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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: rule · staff · bore · plane · field · key · temple · court

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. key — for a lock
  3. field — for sport
  4. staff — a stick
  5. plane — a tool
  6. field — a subject
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. court — of law
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — government
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bore — to tire
  14. staff — employees
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. staff — employees
  19. court — for sport
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bore — to drill
  23. court — of a king
  24. plane — an aircraft

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