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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. drill — army training
  4. stem — to come from
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. field — a subject
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. drill — the tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. field — for sport
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. drill — a practice
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. field — farmland

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