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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. field — for sport
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. fine — all right
  8. field — a subject
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. stem — to come from
  11. board — to get on
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pound — a weight
  16. board — a committee
  17. kick — in football
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. fine — high quality
  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