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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 124 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. field — farmland
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bear — the animal
  9. race — a contest
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bear — the animal
  12. field — a subject
  13. race — humankind
  14. last — final
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chip — for betting
  17. suit — to fit
  18. last — finally
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — a container
  21. race — the arms race
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. last — to go on

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