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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. ball — a dance
  3. field — a subject
  4. mug — to rob
  5. track — a path
  6. pop — soda
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pop — to visit
  10. chip — for betting
  11. mug — a face
  12. pop — music
  13. field — for sport
  14. race — a contest
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. race — humankind
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. ball — a great time
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. race — the arms race
  23. chip — to eat
  24. field — farmland

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