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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. swing — in golf
  3. field — farmland
  4. board — to get on
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — in cards
  8. chip — for betting
  9. field — a subject
  10. suit — to fit
  11. track — a path
  12. chip — to eat
  13. swing — to play on
  14. track — to keep track
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. field — for sport
  18. kid — child
  19. swing — music
  20. suit — clothes
  21. track — a song
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. kid — to tease
  24. board — a committee

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