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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. rule — government
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. season — of the year
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. season — in sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fine — all right
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. field — for sport
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fan — a supporter
  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