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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. club — for dancing
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. club — a group
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. field — farmland
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. club — for golf
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mug — a cup
  14. field — a subject
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mug — a face
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a dish

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