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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. swing — music
  4. shower — to wash
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. swing — to play on
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. field — farmland
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mate — to breed
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. perch — the fish
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. swing — in golf
  20. field — for sport
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mate — a partner
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. shower — rain

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