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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. key — the most important part
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. spring — a coil
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. field — a subject
  10. spring — of water
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. spring — the season
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. field — farmland
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. key — in music
  24. rock — music

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