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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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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: root · pound · wake · drill · jam · ball · cap · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. drill — a practice
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. drill — army training
  6. root — of a plant
  7. drill — the tool
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cap — of ice
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pound — a weight
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. field — farmland
  16. cap — a lid
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. root — the cause
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. root — of a word
  23. field — a subject
  24. cap — a hat

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