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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's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. band — a music group
  7. field — for sport
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a ring
  10. field — farmland
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. perch — the fish
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. net — after costs
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. net — for catching

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