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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. pit — in a race
  3. board — a committee
  4. pit — a hole
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. stock — shares
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. degree — temperature
  9. suit — clothes
  10. board — to get on
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. suit — in cards
  13. field — a subject
  14. degree — an amount
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a face
  19. stock — goods
  20. field — for sport
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. degree — from a university

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