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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. field — for sport
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. charge — a price
  6. race — a contest
  7. fork — in a road
  8. field — farmland
  9. race — the arms race
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. field — a subject
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. land — to come down
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. last — to go on
  18. charge — electricity
  19. last — final
  20. charge — in control
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. race — humankind
  23. last — finally
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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