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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. perch — the fish
  3. field — for sport
  4. track — a path
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. present — a gift
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. field — a subject
  11. present — there
  12. lean — thin
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. present — the time now
  16. track — a song
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. track — to keep track
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. field — farmland
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. mouse — for a computer

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