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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: nail · deal · fall · ball · suit · pit · field · squash

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. suit — to fit
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. field — a subject
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. field — for sport
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. suit — in cards
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fall — the season
  19. deal — to handle
  20. field — farmland
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. squash — to crush
  23. suit — clothes
  24. squash — the sport

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