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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 smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. field — a subject
  3. stand — to bear
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ground — a position
  6. wake — a trail
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. field — farmland
  9. court — of a king
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. rest — a break
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. rest — what's left
  16. field — for sport
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — the earth
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. deal — to handle

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