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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. perch — the fish
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. field — farmland
  15. drill — a practice
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wax — to grow
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. field — for sport
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — the tool
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. foot — a measure
  24. perch — for a bird

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