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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. field — a subject
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. field — farmland
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. field — for sport
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fan — to cool the air

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