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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. vault — a safe
  5. track — to keep track
  6. field — for sport
  7. track — a song
  8. land — ground
  9. ground — a position
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. land — to come down
  12. ground — crushed
  13. deal — to handle
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. field — farmland
  17. land — a country
  18. field — a subject
  19. track — a path
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. ground — the earth
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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