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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. field — a subject
  3. swing — music
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. saw — the tool
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — in control
  8. field — for sport
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. swing — to play on
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. charge — a price
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bark — to shout
  19. toast — bread
  20. field — farmland
  21. swing — in golf
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — 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