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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: firm · mouse · field · stick · season · mark · pit · rock

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. field — a subject
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rock — music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pit — in a race
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. season — in sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. field — farmland
  18. firm — steady
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rock — a stone
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. season — of the year
  23. field — for sport
  24. firm — decided

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