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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: plane · fork · mark · wound · charge · saw · stand · field

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. charge — electricity
  3. saw — the tool
  4. field — a subject
  5. mark — a grade
  6. field — for sport
  7. wound — an injury
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mark — a trace
  10. field — farmland
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. charge — a price
  19. wound — an injury
  20. charge — in control
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. stand — on your feet

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