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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: mark · arm · chip · date · trunk · field · plane · wave

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. field — for sport
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. chip — for betting
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. plane — a tool
  12. date — the fruit
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mark — a grade
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. field — farmland
  21. mark — a trace
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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