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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. last — to go on
  3. game — a match
  4. suit — in cards
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. field — a subject
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. last — final
  11. charge — in control
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. game — wild animals
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. charge — electricity
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. last — finally
  20. track — a path
  21. field — farmland
  22. suit — clothes
  23. charge — a price
  24. suit — to fit

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