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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. season — in sport
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. field — for sport
  5. saw — the tool
  6. shower — rain
  7. last — finally
  8. bore — to drill
  9. craft — boats
  10. last — to go on
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bore — to tire
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. craft — a skill
  17. last — final
  18. field — farmland
  19. saw — the tool
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. season — of the year

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