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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: wind · field · fall · bay · rock · wound · plane · can

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fall — the season
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. field — a subject
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rock — music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wind — moving air
  22. plane — a tool
  23. field — farmland
  24. field — for sport

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