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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: mug · rock · leaves · ground · field · season · suit · sharp

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — for sport
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mug — to rob
  7. ground — a position
  8. mug — a face
  9. suit — in cards
  10. season — of the year
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ground — crushed
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. ground — the earth
  20. rock — a stone
  21. season — in sport
  22. mug — a cup
  23. field — a subject
  24. rock — music

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