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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. field — a subject
  3. band — a music group
  4. field — for sport
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. mark — a grade
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. field — farmland
  9. fine — all right
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lie — to recline
  13. saw — the tool
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. band — a ring

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