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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. field — farmland
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. firm — decided
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mate — a friend
  11. field — a subject
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. cap — a hat
  15. firm — a company
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. field — for sport
  20. firm — steady
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lean — thin
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lean — to rest against

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