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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 120 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. field — for sport
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. field — a subject
  7. bore — to drill
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — all right
  11. race — the arms race
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. field — farmland
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. key — in 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