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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. field — farmland
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lean — thin
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — to bend
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. field — a subject
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. field — for sport

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