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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. field — for sport
  3. object — a thing
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. kick — in football
  7. object — an aim
  8. fall — to drop
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. field — a subject
  14. object — to protest
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. fall — to drop
  21. field — farmland
  22. kid — child
  23. track — a song
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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