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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. charge — in control
  3. mate — a friend
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — for sport
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mate — to breed
  19. season — of the year
  20. field — a subject
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. season — in sport

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