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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · squash · bulb · leaves · stem · mug · kick · field

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mug — a cup
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. kick — in football
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. field — for sport
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mug — to rob
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. field — farmland
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. bulb — for light
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mug — a face
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. squash — to crush
  24. stem — to come from

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