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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. field — a subject
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. field — for sport
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rock — music
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fine — all right
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fine — high quality
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. deal — a big deal
  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