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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. field — for sport
  3. stand — to bear
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. track — a path
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. track — to keep track
  10. board — a committee
  11. field — a subject
  12. land — to come down
  13. field — farmland
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. land — a country
  21. board — to get on
  22. track — a song
  23. land — ground
  24. lean — to bend

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