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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 124 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. field — for sport
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. field — farmland
  10. suit — to fit
  11. content — the amount
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. chest — of your body
  15. can — a tin
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bank — for money
  18. chest — a box
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bank — for money
  21. chest — of your body
  22. suit — clothes
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. content — happy

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