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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. field — for sport
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. land — ground
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. ball — a great time
  11. land — a country
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. field — farmland
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bulb — for light
  23. land — to come down
  24. jam — in traffic

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