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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. field — farmland
  3. suit — clothes
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. field — a subject
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. track — to keep track
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. suit — in cards
  14. track — a song
  15. stand — to bear
  16. field — for sport
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. track — a path
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. band — a ring
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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