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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. bear — the animal
  3. root — of a word
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. field — for sport
  10. plane — a tool
  11. root — the cause
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. field — farmland
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pound — a weight
  16. root — of a plant
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. plane — an aircraft

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