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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. charge — a price
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. field — a subject
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mug — a cup
  11. craft — boats
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. charge — electricity
  16. mug — a face
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mark — a trace
  19. charge — in control
  20. field — farmland
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. craft — a skill
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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