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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: mug · bass · rock · arm · object · stand · field · drill

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — farmland
  3. rock — music
  4. object — an aim
  5. drill — the tool
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mug — a face
  9. object — a thing
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. drill — a practice
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bass — low music
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. drill — army training
  19. object — to protest
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. field — for sport
  22. bass — the fish
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mug — to rob

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