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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 120 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: pass · stand · can · court · field · rule · key · plane

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rule — a law
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pass — a permit
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. court — of law
  15. field — farmland
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. court — for sport
  21. field — a subject
  22. rule — government
  23. court — of a king
  24. field — for sport

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