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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pitch — completely
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. field — a subject
  9. track — a path
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. field — farmland
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. field — for sport
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. track — a song
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. board — a flat piece

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