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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. suit — to fit
  6. drill — army training
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. drill — the tool
  9. vault — a safe
  10. suit — clothes
  11. track — a path
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mark — a grade
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — farmland
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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