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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. swing — music
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stock — goods
  7. root — the cause
  8. can — to be able to
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — a subject
  11. swing — to play on
  12. root — of a plant
  13. can — a tin
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. field — for sport
  19. mark — a grade
  20. root — of a word
  21. can — a tin
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mark — a trace
  24. stand — to bear

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