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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 · sharp · bay · toast · stick · suit · arm · plane

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. field — for sport
  6. plane — a tool
  7. field — a subject
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. field — farmland
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. toast — bread
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. sharp — clever
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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