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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. field — for sport
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pit — a hole
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. field — farmland
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mate — a friend
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pit — in a race
  15. drill — the tool
  16. squash — to crush
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. field — a subject
  19. drill — army training
  20. mate — a partner
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mate — to breed
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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