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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — a subject
  5. foot — a measure
  6. charge — in control
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pass — a permit
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. perch — the fish
  16. charge — a price
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. field — for sport
  19. charge — electricity
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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