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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 120 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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. foot — a measure
  3. suit — clothes
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. field — farmland
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. season — in sport
  9. fork — in a road
  10. rule — government
  11. cap — a lid
  12. staff — employees
  13. rule — a law
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. season — of the year
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cap — a hat
  18. staff — employees
  19. field — a subject
  20. cap — of ice
  21. staff — a stick
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. suit — to fit
  24. season — to add flavour

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