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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 120 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: field · rock · object · stand · trunk · safe · plane · pound

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rock — a stone
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stand — to bear
  13. object — to protest
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rock — music
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — a subject

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