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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bear — the animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. object — to protest
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. bore — to tire
  12. plane — a tool
  13. field — a subject
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bore — to drill
  17. field — for sport
  18. deal — to handle
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. track — a song
  23. bear — the animal
  24. track — a path

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