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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 120 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: key · stick · object · deal · net · field · season · degree

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. field — a subject
  5. object — a thing
  6. key — the most important part
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. degree — an amount
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. object — an aim
  14. degree — from a university
  15. season — of the year
  16. net — after costs
  17. field — farmland
  18. deal — to handle
  19. degree — temperature
  20. object — to protest
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. season — in 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