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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. 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. object — an aim
  2. field — for sport
  3. pop — soda
  4. root — the cause
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pop — music
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. pop — to visit
  9. root — of a word
  10. kick — in football
  11. object — a thing
  12. root — of a plant
  13. suit — in cards
  14. object — to protest
  15. suit — to fit
  16. field — farmland
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. 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