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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ground — a position
  5. board — to get on
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ground — the earth
  9. board — a committee
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. field — farmland
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. field — for sport
  15. content — happy
  16. track — a song
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fine — all right
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fine — high quality
  23. track — a path
  24. content — the amount

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