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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. key — for a lock
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pass — a permit
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. saw — the tool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. kick — in football
  17. key — in music
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — a subject
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. stand — to bear
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. stand — on your feet

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