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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 120 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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. field — farmland
  4. club — for dancing
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bound — obliged
  7. club — a group
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. field — a subject
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rule — government
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rule — a law
  15. bound — certain
  16. mine — for digging
  17. charge — a price
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. club — for golf
  21. charge — in control
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bay — a horse colour

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