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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. rule — government
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. board — a committee
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — in music
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. field — farmland
  14. pass — a permit
  15. field — for sport
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bear — the animal
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rule — a law
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — the earth

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