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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: firm · field · plane · current · bowl · drill · season · lean

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. drill — army training
  5. lean — thin
  6. current — of water
  7. field — farmland
  8. current — electric
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. current — happening now
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. field — a subject
  16. season — of the year
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. firm — a company
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lean — to bend
  21. drill — a practice
  22. field — for sport
  23. season — in sport
  24. bowl — a dish

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