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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. craft — boats
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — a law
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. field — farmland
  8. court — of law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mark — a grade
  11. saw — the tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. craft — a skill
  15. court — of a king
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. field — for sport
  19. mark — a trace
  20. saw — the tool
  21. foot — a measure
  22. court — for sport
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. field — a subject

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