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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pit — a hole
  3. season — in sport
  4. present — a gift
  5. ball — a great time
  6. field — farmland
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. field — for sport
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. present — there
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. present — the time now
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. season — of the year
  19. stand — to bear
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bound — certain
  23. field — a subject
  24. pit — in a race

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