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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: plane · charge · bore · field · ball · swing · key · bat

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bat — the animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. key — for a lock
  12. field — for sport
  13. swing — music
  14. bore — to tire
  15. field — a subject
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. key — in music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. key — the most important part
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. field — farmland
  24. bat — in an idiom

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