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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: bulb · dip · rest · track · fan · field · chair · suit

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. field — farmland
  3. track — to keep track
  4. rest — a break
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. field — a subject
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bulb — for light
  13. track — a path
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a leader
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. track — a song

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