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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. can — to be able to
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. track — to keep track
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — to fit
  7. track — a path
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. suit — in cards
  11. track — a song
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. field — for sport
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. field — farmland
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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