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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. track — a path
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. field — farmland
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. track — to keep track
  9. object — to protest
  10. band — a ring
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rock — music
  13. band — a music group
  14. object — a thing
  15. field — a subject
  16. stand — to bear
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. track — a song
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. field — for sport
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rock — a stone

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