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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: pit · row · key · mine · dip · fan · field · bay

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. key — in music
  3. row — to paddle
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. row — a line
  6. field — farmland
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. field — for sport
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. field — a subject
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. mine — for digging
  16. key — for a lock
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pit — a hole
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. key — the most important part

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