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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
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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: bowl · calf · cabinet · current · deal · pitcher · field · toast

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — for sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. current — electric
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. field — a subject
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bowl — a football final

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