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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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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. suit — in cards
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. field — for sport
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. mate — to breed
  9. shower — rain
  10. suit — clothes
  11. field — a subject
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mate — a partner
  20. season — in sport
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. snap — to click
  23. mate — a friend
  24. season — of the year

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