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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: track · field · hand · bay · toast · firm · wake · jam

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hand — help
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. hand — in cards
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. track — a path
  7. field — for sport
  8. track — to keep track
  9. toast — bread
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. track — a song
  18. field — a subject
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. field — farmland
  24. firm — decided

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