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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. suit — clothes
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — of the year
  5. rule — a law
  6. ground — a position
  7. field — for sport
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. field — farmland
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rule — government
  16. wound — an injury
  17. season — in sport
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. ground — crushed
  23. field — a subject
  24. tube — a container

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