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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. field — for sport
  4. mug — to rob
  5. track — to keep track
  6. squash — to crush
  7. ball — a dance
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. board — to get on
  13. field — a subject
  14. track — a song
  15. field — farmland
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mug — a face
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. board — a committee
  23. track — a path
  24. squash — the sport

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