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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. track — a path
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. cue — a hint
  5. track — to keep track
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. firm — a company
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cue — for pool
  12. firm — decided
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. firm — steady
  18. field — for sport
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. field — farmland
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. track — a song
  24. racket — for tennis

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