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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. object — a thing
  9. pitch — completely
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. field — farmland
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. field — for sport
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. object — an aim
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. content — happy
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. object — to protest
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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