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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cue · field · plane · vault · land · calf · date · jam

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. field — a subject
  4. land — a country
  5. cue — a hint
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. land — to come down
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. date — the fruit
  16. cue — a signal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. field — farmland
  20. vault — a safe
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. cue — for pool
  24. field — for sport

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