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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rest — a break
  4. field — for sport
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cue — a signal
  7. field — farmland
  8. club — a group
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. degree — from a university
  12. charge — in control
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. degree — temperature
  17. charge — a price
  18. degree — an amount
  19. cue — a hint
  20. field — a subject
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stand — to bear

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