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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. can — a tin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. suit — in cards
  7. field — for sport
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. race — the arms race
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. race — humankind
  18. can — a tin
  19. race — a contest
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. suit — to fit
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. field — farmland

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