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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. field — farmland
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. field — for sport
  8. stand — to bear
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. field — a subject
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — government
  15. track — a song
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. track — to keep track
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. track — a path
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stand — on your feet

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