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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. field — farmland
  4. key — the most important part
  5. land — to come down
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pass — a permit
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. field — a subject
  13. bore — to tire
  14. land — a country
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. key — in music
  20. field — for sport
  21. craft — boats
  22. bore — to drill
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. land — ground

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