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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. swing — in golf
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. tear — from crying
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. field — for sport
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. charge — in control
  17. field — a subject
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. charge — electricity
  20. swing — music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. charge — a price
  24. vault — a safe

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