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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. field — a subject
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. lean — thin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bore — to tire
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. cue — a signal
  19. field — farmland
  20. stand — to bear
  21. spell — letters
  22. cue — a hint
  23. spell — magic
  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