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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: charge · firm · bass · fork · field · plane · fine · march

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. charge — electricity
  5. field — a subject
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. charge — in control
  8. firm — a company
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. plane — a tool
  12. march — the month
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. march — the month
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. march — music
  19. fine — all right
  20. bass — low music
  21. fork — in a road
  22. charge — a price
  23. fine — high quality
  24. firm — steady

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