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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. fine — all right
  3. swing — music
  4. field — a subject
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bound — certain
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pit — a hole
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. field — farmland
  12. fine — high quality
  13. content — the amount
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. swing — to play on
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. key — the most important part
  20. content — happy
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bound — tied together
  23. swing — in golf
  24. key — in music

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