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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 120 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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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: sharp · pound · stick · ground · field · racket · firm · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. field — for sport
  3. ground — a position
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. firm — a company
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ground — crushed
  12. field — a subject
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. field — farmland
  20. pound — a weight
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. ground — the earth

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