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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: can · saw · wave · field · rock · rule · plane · lean

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rule — government
  11. field — farmland
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. field — for sport
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rule — a law
  20. rock — a stone
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rock — music
  23. wave — with your hand
  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