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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. field — farmland
  3. kick — in football
  4. cue — for pool
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. cue — a signal
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. lean — thin
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. field — a subject
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lean — to bend
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. cue — a hint
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. toast — bread
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fine — all right

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