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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: field · firm · court · toast · scale · present · roll · fan

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. scale — in music
  3. firm — steady
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — for sport
  7. roll — a list
  8. scale — size or range
  9. firm — decided
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. court — of a king
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. roll — a cake
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. court — for sport
  18. field — a subject
  19. toast — bread
  20. present — the time now
  21. firm — a company
  22. court — of law
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. present — a gift

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