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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. tube — a container
  3. field — a subject
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. season — of the year
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. chair — a leader
  13. field — for sport
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. field — farmland
  19. cue — for pool
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stem — to come from
  24. toast — bread

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