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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. field — a subject
  3. root — of a word
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. root — of a plant
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. root — the cause
  13. field — for sport
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. firm — decided
  23. bowl — a football final
  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