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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.

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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. field — farmland
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. land — to come down
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. land — a country
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. land — ground
  20. field — a subject
  21. fork — in a road
  22. field — for sport
  23. mark — a grade
  24. racket — for tennis

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