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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. field — for sport
  6. saw — the tool
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rock — music
  9. chip — to eat
  10. face — to point toward
  11. object — a thing
  12. field — farmland
  13. field — a subject
  14. ball — a dance
  15. object — an aim
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. face — part of the head
  18. object — to protest
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. ball — a great time
  21. face — to confront
  22. rush — hurry
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rock — to move gently

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