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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. present — the time now
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. field — for sport
  4. track — to keep track
  5. present — there
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. field — farmland
  9. field — a subject
  10. track — a song
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. present — a gift
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. craft — boats
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. craft — a skill
  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