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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: bay · pitcher · cue · field · bowl · stand · fork · fine

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. fine — all right
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cue — a hint
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — a subject
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cue — for pool
  19. field — for sport
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. cue — a signal

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