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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 120 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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. root — the cause
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stem — to come from
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fine — high quality
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. field — a subject
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fine — all right
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. swing — music
  22. board — a committee
  23. field — farmland
  24. fine — a penalty

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