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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. track — a song
  3. race — humankind
  4. charge — in control
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. race — the arms race
  7. field — a subject
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. race — a contest
  16. field — for sport
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mark — a grade
  19. field — farmland
  20. charge — a price
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. track — a path
  23. charge — electricity
  24. safe — out of danger

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