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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 116 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. chip — to eat
  5. field — farmland
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. kick — in football
  11. suit — clothes
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pitch — completely
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. suit — to fit
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. chip — for betting
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. field — for sport

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