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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 120 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. drill — army training
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pop — music
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — to visit
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. field — farmland
  16. mug — a cup
  17. field — a subject
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fine — all right
  20. drill — a practice
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. field — for sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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