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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. track — a path
  4. foot — a measure
  5. field — a subject
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bear — the animal
  8. field — farmland
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. track — a song
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fine — all right
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. field — for sport
  24. club — for dancing

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