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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pop — music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pop — soda
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. face — part of the head
  10. field — a subject
  11. field — for sport
  12. pit — in a race
  13. face — to confront
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pop — to visit
  16. last — final
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. face — to point toward
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. last — finally
  23. bear — the animal
  24. last — to go on

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