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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: club · rock · plane · lie · dip · mark · jam · field

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. field — farmland
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. field — a subject
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. lie — to recline
  12. club — for dancing
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rock — music
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. field — for sport
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mark — a trace
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. club — a group
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. club — for golf
  24. plane — a tool

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