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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mug — to rob
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bound — certain
  9. foot — a measure
  10. cap — of ice
  11. field — farmland
  12. mug — a cup
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mug — a face
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bound — tied together
  21. drill — army training
  22. field — for sport
  23. cap — a hat
  24. field — a subject

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