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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: tube · pop · safe · suit · field · plane · staff · game

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — for sport
  5. pop — to visit
  6. staff — a stick
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. tube — a container
  9. game — wild animals
  10. suit — clothes
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. game — a match
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pop — music
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pop — soda
  22. staff — employees
  23. plane — a tool
  24. staff — employees

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