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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. field — for sport
  3. pit — in a race
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pit — a hole
  6. chip — to eat
  7. field — farmland
  8. key — for a lock
  9. march — the month
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. march — the month
  12. chip — for betting
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — the most important part
  18. branch — a division
  19. key — in music
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. field — a subject
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — of a bank

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