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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: spell · field · plane · nail · race · last · calf · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. race — a contest
  5. field — a subject
  6. charge — a price
  7. race — humankind
  8. plane — a tool
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. spell — magic
  11. last — finally
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. field — for sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. race — the arms race
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — final
  19. field — farmland
  20. spell — letters
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. spell — a short time
  24. calf — of the leg

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