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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 124 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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. drill — army training
  3. field — a subject
  4. pop — to visit
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mark — a trace
  11. field — farmland
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pop — soda
  14. mark — a grade
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pop — music
  20. drill — a practice
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — clothes
  24. coach — a trainer

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