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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. present — there
  3. field — a subject
  4. present — the time now
  5. can — to be able to
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pit — a hole
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. field — for sport
  11. wound — an injury
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. can — a tin
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. field — farmland
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wound — an injury
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. present — a gift
  24. can — a tin

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