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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 are growing on this ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — for sport
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. deal — to handle
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. craft — boats
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mate — a friend
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. field — a subject
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. mate — a partner
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. charge — in control
  24. hide — animal skin

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