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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. field — farmland
  3. present — a gift
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. track — a path
  8. chip — for betting
  9. spell — letters
  10. chip — to eat
  11. present — the time now
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. present — there
  14. field — for sport
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. field — a subject
  17. spell — magic
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. pit — in a race

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