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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — final
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fork — in a road
  12. last — finally
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. field — for sport
  15. track — a song
  16. staff — employees
  17. last — to go on
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. track — a path
  23. field — farmland
  24. stand — for spectators

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