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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 116 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — for sport
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. ground — crushed
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. key — for a lock
  13. field — farmland
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ground — a position
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. key — the most important part
  19. perch — the fish
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. key — in music
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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