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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 116 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: suit · field · saw · leaves · band · game · wave · cell

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. field — a subject
  3. band — a music group
  4. cell — in biology
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. suit — in cards
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. saw — the tool
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. game — a match
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cell — a phone
  18. field — for sport
  19. band — a ring
  20. game — wild animals
  21. field — farmland
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. saw — the tool

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