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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — a subject
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. field — for sport
  5. present — the time now
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pit — in a race
  9. present — a gift
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. chip — for betting
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pit — a hole
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. land — ground
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. present — there
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. land — a country
  22. land — to come down
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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