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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. race — humankind
  3. suit — in cards
  4. can — a tin
  5. field — for sport
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chest — a box
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. field — farmland
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. board — to get on
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. board — a committee
  19. root — the cause
  20. chest — of your body
  21. root — of a plant
  22. suit — to fit
  23. root — of a word
  24. race — a contest

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