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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. field — a subject
  3. club — for dancing
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. field — for sport
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. land — a country
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. land — to come down
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. club — for golf
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. club — a group
  18. land — ground
  19. field — farmland
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bowl — to roll

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