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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. fork — in a road
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pound — a weight
  11. perch — the fish
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. squash — the sport
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. field — farmland
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. field — a subject
  22. present — a gift
  23. squash — to crush
  24. pound — to hit hard

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