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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — for sport
  3. mug — a face
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mug — a cup
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. degree — from a university
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. charge — in control
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. degree — an amount
  23. field — farmland
  24. degree — temperature

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