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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. field — for sport
  3. track — a song
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stock — goods
  6. club — for golf
  7. present — there
  8. lean — to bend
  9. field — a subject
  10. present — a gift
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. present — the time now
  13. club — for dancing
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stock — shares
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. track — a path
  22. field — farmland
  23. lean — thin
  24. club — a group

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