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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. field — farmland
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. suit — to fit
  5. track — a song
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bear — the animal
  8. firm — steady
  9. board — a committee
  10. track — to keep track
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. field — a subject
  16. board — to get on
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. net — for catching
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. net — after costs
  22. track — a path
  23. net — in sport
  24. suit — clothes

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