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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. track — a song
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. field — for sport
  10. stock — goods
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. stock — shares
  13. track — to keep track
  14. field — a subject
  15. track — a path
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pitch — completely
  19. vault — a safe
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. nail — for a hammer

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