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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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Word bank
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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: chair · track · field · drill · ball · firm · jam · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — a subject
  6. swing — to play on
  7. ball — a dance
  8. drill — a practice
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. track — a song
  11. drill — the tool
  12. track — a path
  13. firm — steady
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. drill — army training
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. swing — in golf
  19. chair — a leader
  20. track — to keep track
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. field — farmland
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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