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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bound — obliged
  4. field — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. track — a path
  7. field — farmland
  8. bound — certain
  9. field — a subject
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. pass — a permit
  14. track — a song
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. firm — steady
  17. court — of a king
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. firm — a company
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bound — tied together
  22. firm — decided
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. track — to keep track

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