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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
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: can · plane · present · season · field · scale · roll · craft

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. present — there
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. field — a subject
  9. roll — a cake
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. present — a gift
  12. can — a tin
  13. season — of the year
  14. scale — size or range
  15. can — to be able to
  16. craft — a skill
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. scale — in music
  20. craft — boats
  21. field — for sport
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. field — farmland
  24. present — the time now

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