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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. field — farmland
  3. mine — for digging
  4. field — a subject
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. chest — of your body
  7. field — for sport
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bear — the animal
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chest — a box
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. chest — of your body
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bear — to put up with

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