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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — a path
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. field — for sport
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. firm — decided
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. press — to push
  12. game — a match
  13. firm — a company
  14. rock — a stone
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. press — newspapers
  18. field — farmland
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rock — music
  22. track — to keep track
  23. field — a subject
  24. firm — steady

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