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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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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: hide · hand · field · board · object · suit · bear · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. suit — clothes
  3. track — a path
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — farmland
  13. track — to keep track
  14. suit — in cards
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. object — an aim
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — to protest
  19. field — a subject
  20. hand — help
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hand — in cards
  23. object — a thing
  24. board — a committee

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