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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: kid · field · leaves · mark · track · stem · object · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. track — a path
  8. object — an aim
  9. kid — to tease
  10. track — to keep track
  11. field — for sport
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. kid — child
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — farmland
  18. object — a thing
  19. stem — to come from
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. track — a song
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. object — to protest
  24. mark — a trace

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