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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ground — the earth
  3. suit — clothes
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — a subject
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitch — completely
  12. craft — a skill
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. field — farmland
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. craft — boats
  17. ground — a position
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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