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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 124 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. present — the time now
  3. drill — the tool
  4. present — a gift
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. season — of the year
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. craft — a skill
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. season — in sport
  14. drill — army training
  15. field — farmland
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. drill — a practice
  18. field — a subject
  19. craft — boats
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. wake — a trail
  24. present — there

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