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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 116 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. can — a tin
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. staff — a stick
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rock — a stone
  10. can — to be able to
  11. field — for sport
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. staff — employees
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. staff — employees
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. field — a subject
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in biology
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. can — a tin

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