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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pop — to visit
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pop — music
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. field — for sport
  12. suit — clothes
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pop — soda
  16. stock — goods
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stock — shares
  20. suit — in cards
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. field — farmland
  24. suit — to fit

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