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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. firm — steady
  4. scale — in music
  5. field — farmland
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. firm — decided
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. charge — a price
  13. field — for sport
  14. fork — in a road
  15. firm — a company
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bowl — a football final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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