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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 120 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mate — a partner
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. sharp — clever
  8. root — the cause
  9. mate — to breed
  10. field — a subject
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. field — for sport
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mate — a friend

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