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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · mouse · field · game · pound · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. game — a match
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. pound — a weight
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. game — wild animals
  10. field — farmland
  11. fine — high quality
  12. field — for sport
  13. fine — all right
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. toast — bread
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. field — a subject

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