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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: present · rule · mouse · fan · plane · season · field · mark

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — a subject
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. present — there
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. present — the time now
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rule — government
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rule — a law
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. field — for sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. present — a gift
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. plane — a tool
  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