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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pound — a weight
  3. rock — a stone
  4. roll — a list
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rock — music
  9. field — a subject
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. roll — a cake
  12. field — farmland
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. field — for sport

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