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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. can — a tin
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. track — a song
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. field — a subject
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. board — a committee
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cell — a phone
  15. can — a tin
  16. cell — in biology
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. field — farmland
  19. field — for sport
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. can — to be able to
  22. deal — to handle
  23. board — to get on
  24. track — a path

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