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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. field — a subject
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. field — for sport
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. game — wild animals
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. perch — the fish
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. field — farmland
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lash — to lash out

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