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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. field — for sport
  5. firm — a company
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pitch — completely
  8. craft — boats
  9. mark — a trace
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. firm — decided
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. field — a subject
  22. firm — steady
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. field — farmland

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