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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 120 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: land · last · track · deal · bound · can · stick · field

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. field — for sport
  3. bound — certain
  4. last — final
  5. field — a subject
  6. land — a country
  7. track — to keep track
  8. deal — to handle
  9. track — a path
  10. land — ground
  11. last — finally
  12. can — a tin
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. last — to go on
  15. land — to come down
  16. field — farmland
  17. track — a song
  18. bound — obliged
  19. can — to be able to
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. can — a tin
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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