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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · pitch · field · craft · roll · wake · patient · track

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wake — a trail
  3. field — for sport
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. roll — a cake
  10. field — farmland
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. track — a song
  15. pitch — completely
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. field — a subject
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. roll — a list
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. craft — boats

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