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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — farmland
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rock — a stone
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mug — a face
  20. row — a line
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. row — to paddle

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