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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: board · can · deal · key · calf · tear · field · land

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. key — the most important part
  3. can — a tin
  4. board — a committee
  5. key — in music
  6. tear — from crying
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. field — a subject
  9. board — to get on
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. can — to be able to
  14. field — farmland
  15. tear — to rip
  16. land — a country
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — ground
  20. key — for a lock
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. tear — from crying
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. deal — to handle

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