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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
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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: straw · club · mine · suit · field · plane · bore · foot

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. mine — belonging to me
  3. club — a group
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mine — for digging
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. field — for sport
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bore — to tire
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — farmland
  17. plane — a tool
  18. club — for dancing
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. club — for golf
  23. suit — to fit
  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