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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — farmland
  3. ball — a great time
  4. field — for sport
  5. mug — to rob
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mug — a cup
  8. scale — in music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mug — a face
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. ball — a dance
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pass — a permit
  20. scale — size or range
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fork — a garden tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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