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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — a subject
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cap — of ice
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ball — a great time
  14. perch — the fish
  15. object — a thing
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. object — to protest
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lie — to recline
  22. ball — a dance
  23. field — for sport
  24. object — an aim

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