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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cue — for pool
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. cue — a signal
  6. field — for sport
  7. cap — a hat
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cue — a hint
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. toast — bread
  13. fine — all right
  14. cap — a lid
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. court — for sport
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ground — the earth
  22. fine — high quality
  23. stand — on your feet
  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