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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 116 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: key · rush · plane · march · ball · trunk · mouse · field

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. key — the most important part
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. field — for sport
  8. march — music
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. march — the month
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. key — in music
  13. field — a subject
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ball — a great time
  22. key — for a lock
  23. field — farmland
  24. ball — a dance

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