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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. game — a match
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bulb — for light
  8. club — a group
  9. swing — to play on
  10. club — for golf
  11. toast — bread
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — in golf
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bulb — for light
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. field — farmland
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. field — for sport
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rush — hurry
  24. field — a subject

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