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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. kick — in football
  3. field — for sport
  4. prune — to trim
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — bread
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. club — for dancing
  9. field — a subject
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. club — a group
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. club — for golf
  18. prune — to trim
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. court — of law
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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