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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rest — what's left
  4. key — the most important part
  5. dip — to sink
  6. field — for sport
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — decided
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. field — a subject
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. key — in music
  19. row — to paddle
  20. firm — steady
  21. rest — a break
  22. row — a line
  23. firm — a company
  24. key — for a lock

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