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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. perch — the fish
  4. track — to keep track
  5. shower — rain
  6. field — for sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. track — a path
  11. bass — low music
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bass — the fish
  14. shower — to wash
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. field — farmland
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stand — to bear
  24. track — a song

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