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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. field — farmland
  4. clip — a video
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. clip — to cut
  7. swing — in golf
  8. spell — magic
  9. swing — to play on
  10. firm — steady
  11. field — a subject
  12. saw — the tool
  13. clip — for paper
  14. spell — letters
  15. stand — to bear
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. firm — decided
  19. swing — music
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. firm — a company
  22. field — for sport
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. saw — the tool

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