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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. can — a tin
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. can — to be able to
  6. spell — letters
  7. field — a subject
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. vault — a safe
  12. face — part of the head
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fine — high quality
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. can — a tin
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. field — for sport
  20. spell — a short time
  21. fine — all right
  22. face — to confront
  23. spell — magic
  24. coach — a trainer

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