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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — for sport
  5. deal — to handle
  6. march — music
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. march — the month
  10. pit — in a race
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. field — farmland
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. march — the month
  22. rest — what's left
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. perch — the fish

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