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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. field — for sport
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. toast — bread
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. field — a subject
  10. degree — from a university
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. degree — an amount
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. firm — steady
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. firm — decided
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. field — farmland
  24. degree — temperature

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