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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. charge — electricity
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bat — the animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. field — a subject
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. suit — clothes
  18. field — for sport
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. charge — in control
  22. foot — a measure
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. charge — a price

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