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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mug — a cup
  3. field — a subject
  4. mug — a face
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. march — music
  8. root — of a plant
  9. track — to keep track
  10. march — the month
  11. chip — to eat
  12. march — the month
  13. root — of a word
  14. mug — to rob
  15. field — for sport
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bass — low music
  18. field — farmland
  19. track — a path
  20. root — the cause
  21. chip — for betting
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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