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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. track — to keep track
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. firm — decided
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ground — a position
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. foot — a measure
  11. track — a song
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. track — a path
  14. firm — a company
  15. field — farmland
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. firm — steady
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. field — a subject

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