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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. squash — the sport
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. field — a subject
  5. track — a song
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. field — farmland
  8. squash — to crush
  9. track — a path
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. track — to keep track
  12. field — for sport
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — to get on
  17. stand — to bear
  18. dip — to sink
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. firm — steady
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. board — a committee

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