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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.

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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. march — music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. chip — to eat
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. march — the month
  12. season — in sport
  13. field — a subject
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. march — the month
  16. pitch — completely
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. field — for sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. safe — a strongbox

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