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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 116 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: rest · sharp · fine · spell · mouse · field · track · stick

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rest — a break
  3. track — a path
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. field — for sport
  6. fine — all right
  7. field — a subject
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spell — letters
  10. track — a song
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. sharp — clever
  18. spell — magic
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rest — what's left
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. field — farmland

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