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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · fine · lie · field · coach · bore · root · spell

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — a subject
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. field — for sport
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bore — to drill
  9. can — to be able to
  10. spell — magic
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. can — a tin
  13. bore — to tire
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fine — high quality
  16. spell — letters
  17. can — a tin
  18. fine — all right
  19. spell — a short time
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. root — the cause

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