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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. staff — a stick
  5. swing — in golf
  6. press — newspapers
  7. swing — music
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bulb — for light
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. track — a path
  12. swing — to play on
  13. track — to keep track
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bulb — for light
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. field — farmland
  19. track — a song
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. field — for sport
  24. bulb — of a plant

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