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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 120 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bound — tied together
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. field — a subject
  6. pit — in a race
  7. mate — a friend
  8. field — farmland
  9. bound — certain
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bound — obliged
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. staff — employees
  15. pit — a hole
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. staff — employees
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. firm — steady
  22. wind — moving air
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mate — a partner

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