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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. field — farmland
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. face — to confront
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. track — to keep track
  10. field — a subject
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. track — a song
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. track — a path
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bowl — a dish

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