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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. mug — a cup
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. field — farmland
  12. shower — to wash
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. swing — music
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. swing — to play on
  17. field — for sport
  18. mug — a face
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. shower — rain
  21. pitch — completely
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pitch — a sports field

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