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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. can — a tin
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. prune — to trim
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. field — for sport
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. can — to be able to
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. staff — a stick
  14. prune — to trim
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. staff — employees
  18. field — farmland
  19. staff — employees
  20. sharp — clever
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. foot — a measure
  23. can — a tin
  24. date — on the calendar

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