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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: key · field · leaves · stem · mark · plane · rash · can

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rash — hasty
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. key — the most important part
  5. field — for sport
  6. field — farmland
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. key — for a lock
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. field — a subject
  12. can — a tin
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rash — a series
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. key — in music
  20. stem — to come from
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. plane — a tool
  24. can — a tin

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