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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pit — in a race
  3. roll — a cake
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. field — farmland
  12. board — a committee
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bore — to drill
  15. key — in music
  16. field — for sport
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ball — a great time
  19. board — to get on
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. roll — a list
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bulb — for light

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