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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. track — a path
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — farmland
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. firm — steady
  12. bank — of a river
  13. track — to keep track
  14. firm — decided
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bank — for money
  19. rule — government
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. firm — a company
  22. pit — a hole
  23. cue — a signal
  24. track — a song

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