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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wake — a trail
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. suit — clothes
  6. object — an aim
  7. deal — to handle
  8. suit — in cards
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mate — to breed
  14. field — a subject
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. object — a thing
  17. mate — a partner
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. object — to protest
  22. field — for sport
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. deal — an agreement

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