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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. mark — a grade
  3. field — for sport
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. court — for sport
  9. field — farmland
  10. mark — a trace
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. toast — bread
  15. board — a committee
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. board — to get on
  18. field — a subject
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lie — to recline
  21. court — of a king
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. court — of law
  24. snap — to click

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