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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: pop · field · charge · mate · fork · lean · jam · foot

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mate — to breed
  4. foot — a measure
  5. field — farmland
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. lean — to bend
  9. field — for sport
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. fork — in a road
  12. charge — in control
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mate — a partner
  15. field — a subject
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pop — to visit
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. lean — thin
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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