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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. field — a subject
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. track — a path
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. field — for sport
  12. track — to keep track
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. tube — the underground
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. tube — a container
  22. craft — boats
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — a song

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