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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. spring — of water
  4. track — a song
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. field — for sport
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. field — farmland
  14. kick — in football
  15. plane — a tool
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. spring — the season
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spring — a coil

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