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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. face — to point toward
  4. field — farmland
  5. suit — clothes
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. object — a thing
  8. chip — for betting
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. face — part of the head
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. object — an aim
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. face — to confront
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chip — to eat
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. object — to protest
  23. suit — to fit
  24. field — for sport

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