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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. field — farmland
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bound — certain
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bound — obliged
  24. field — for sport

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