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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. drill — army training
  6. field — for sport
  7. drill — the tool
  8. field — a subject
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — bread
  16. field — farmland
  17. drill — a practice
  18. trunk — of an elephant

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