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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: sharp · calf · rush · key · mouse · field · deal · net

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. sharp — clever
  3. field — a subject
  4. net — after costs
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. net — in sport
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. field — farmland
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. key — in music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. deal — to handle
  24. net — for catching

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