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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. field — farmland
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. root — of a word
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. field — for sport
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. field — a subject
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. track — a song
  15. pass — a permit
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. band — a music group
  19. root — the cause
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. band — a ring
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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