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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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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. plane — a tool
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. track — a path
  8. press — a publisher
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. field — farmland
  11. lean — thin
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bank — for money
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. press — to push
  16. bank — for money
  17. track — a song
  18. press — newspapers
  19. field — a subject
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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