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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: can · fine · ball · rock · stock · deal · degree · field

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. degree — an amount
  3. degree — temperature
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — farmland
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stock — goods
  10. fine — high quality
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ball — a great time
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stock — shares
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. can — a tin
  20. ball — a dance
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rock — music
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stock — a soup base

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