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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: jam · season · field · capital · chip · plane · scale · rash

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. field — for sport
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. scale — in music
  8. capital — money
  9. chip — to eat
  10. season — in sport
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — a subject
  15. plane — a tool
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rash — hasty
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rash — a series
  23. capital — a city
  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