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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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · rule · craft · bat · stand · pit · mark · field

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. field — for sport
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mark — a grade
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bat — the animal
  9. craft — boats
  10. field — a subject
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. pit — a hole
  17. field — farmland
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pit — in a race
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mark — a trace

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