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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. lie — to recline
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. bore — to tire
  9. land — ground
  10. field — a subject
  11. field — for sport
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. swing — music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. field — farmland
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pass — to succeed
  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