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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. can — a tin
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pit — a hole
  14. can — a tin
  15. season — of the year
  16. field — a subject
  17. season — in sport
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. can — to be able to
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. field — farmland

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