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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. fine — all right
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. field — a subject
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. field — farmland
  15. rest — a break
  16. can — a tin
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. vault — a safe
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. saw — the tool
  24. trunk — of a tree

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