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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. field — for sport
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. field — farmland
  5. staff — employees
  6. track — a song
  7. staff — employees
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. firm — a company
  11. field — a subject
  12. track — a path
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. firm — decided
  16. plane — a tool
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bulb — for light
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. firm — steady
  23. bulb — for light
  24. staff — a stick

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