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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cue — for pool
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. field — a subject
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. field — farmland
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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