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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. field — for sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stem — to come from
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pop — soda
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. field — a subject
  15. press — a publisher
  16. perch — the fish
  17. court — for sport
  18. pop — to visit
  19. field — farmland
  20. pop — music
  21. press — to push
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — of law

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