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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. field — for sport
  5. stand — to bear
  6. club — for dancing
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bulb — for light
  10. club — a group
  11. row — to paddle
  12. field — farmland
  13. wind — moving air
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mark — a trace
  16. row — a line
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bulb — for light
  19. club — for golf
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. field — a subject
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. drill — a practice

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