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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. land — to come down
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. field — a subject
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. ball — a great time
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. field — farmland

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