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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. object — a thing
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. field — farmland
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. current — electric
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. object — to protest
  13. current — happening now
  14. field — for sport
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. object — an aim
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. current — of water
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wake — a trail
  24. coach — pulled by horses

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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