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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. board — a committee
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pass — a permit
  8. field — a subject
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitch — completely
  11. field — for sport
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. board — to get on
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. row — a line
  19. field — farmland
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bulb — for light

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