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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. root — the cause
  4. rash — a series
  5. root — of a word
  6. degree — from a university
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — a subject
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. degree — temperature
  13. field — farmland
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. craft — a skill
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. root — of a plant
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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