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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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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. field — farmland
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bore — to drill
  4. fine — all right
  5. bore — to tire
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spring — the season
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. field — a subject
  11. spring — of water
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. spring — a coil
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a hole
  21. fine — high quality
  22. ball — a dance
  23. lie — to recline
  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