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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. perch — the fish
  4. lean — to bend
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. chip — for betting
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. field — a subject
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitch — completely
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. chip — to eat
  24. field — for sport

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