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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. swing — music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. field — a subject
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. field — farmland
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stand — to bear
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pass — a permit
  21. swing — in golf
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  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