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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. field — a subject
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. field — farmland
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bulb — for light
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mug — a face
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. dip — to dunk

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