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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. suit — clothes
  3. charge — a price
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. press — to push
  6. mate — to breed
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — a subject
  10. charge — in control
  11. press — a publisher
  12. suit — to fit
  13. charge — electricity
  14. perch — the fish
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mate — a friend
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. press — newspapers
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. field — farmland

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