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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. board — to get on
  5. field — a subject
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. file — a document
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. file — a tool
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — a committee
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — farmland
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ball — a great time
  21. file — a line of people
  22. rush — hurry
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. board — a flat piece

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