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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: ball · dip · fine · stem · track · face · stand · field

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. track — to keep track
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fine — all right
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — to bear
  14. track — a song
  15. face — to confront
  16. field — a subject
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. ball — a dance
  20. track — a path
  21. fine — high quality
  22. field — for sport
  23. stem — to come from
  24. dip — to dunk

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