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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pit — in a race
  3. swing — to play on
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. field — farmland
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. field — a subject
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pit — a hole
  16. swing — music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. swing — in golf
  21. field — for sport
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rock — music

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