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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. spring — a coil
  4. charge — electricity
  5. ball — a great time
  6. field — farmland
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. charge — in control
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. field — for sport
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. present — the time now
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. field — a subject
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. spring — the season
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. spring — of water
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. charge — a price

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