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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. suit — in cards
  4. present — the time now
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. field — a subject
  8. present — a gift
  9. field — for sport
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mark — a grade
  15. suit — clothes
  16. squash — to crush
  17. present — there
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. field — farmland
  20. mark — a trace
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. squash — the sport
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. suit — to fit

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