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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mate — to breed
  6. toast — bread
  7. field — a subject
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. field — farmland
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. squash — to crush
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. squash — the sport
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. field — for sport
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. arm — part of the body

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