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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. snap — to click
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. suit — clothes
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. lean — thin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. fine — high quality
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lean — to bend
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — in cards
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — farmland
  24. suit — to fit

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