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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. field — for sport
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cue — a signal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. cue — for pool
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. suit — clothes
  12. present — the time now
  13. field — farmland
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. present — a gift
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cap — a hat
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rush — hurry
  23. field — a subject
  24. suit — in cards

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