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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. field — for sport
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. suit — to fit
  5. track — to keep track
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rule — a law
  8. staff — a stick
  9. content — happy
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rule — government
  12. track — a song
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. staff — employees
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. suit — in cards
  18. field — a subject
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. track — a path
  21. suit — clothes
  22. content — the amount
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. field — farmland

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