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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.

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: stick · field · calf · coach · plane · land · stem · wave

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. land — to come down
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. land — a country
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. plane — a tool
  16. land — ground
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. field — for sport
  23. plane — in geometry
  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