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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. firm — steady
  3. prune — to trim
  4. board — to get on
  5. field — farmland
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rush — hurry
  12. prune — to trim
  13. field — a subject
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cue — a signal
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. firm — a company
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. firm — decided
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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