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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. firm — a company
  2. field — for sport
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wake — a trail
  6. firm — steady
  7. board — a committee
  8. court — for sport
  9. fine — high quality
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. firm — decided
  12. field — farmland
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. field — a subject
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — of law
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fine — all right
  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