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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mark — a trace
  5. field — for sport
  6. rule — a law
  7. fork — in a road
  8. rule — government
  9. drill — the tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. plane — a tool
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mark — a grade
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. field — farmland
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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