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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. field — a subject
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. can — a tin
  6. field — for sport
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. foot — a measure
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. can — a tin
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bore — to tire
  16. field — farmland
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. can — to be able to
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pitch — a sports field

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