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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. field — farmland
  5. charge — electricity
  6. field — for sport
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pitch — completely
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. tube — a container
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. charge — in control
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pit — a hole
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. charge — a price
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. tube — the underground

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