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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 · suit · deal · field · season · bark · object · mouse

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. season — in sport
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. object — to protest
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. object — an aim
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. field — a subject
  13. bark — to shout
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. suit — to fit
  17. field — for sport
  18. suit — clothes
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. object — a thing
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. suit — in cards
  23. field — farmland
  24. mouse — the animal

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