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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
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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 · press · game · field · rock · track · temple · hide

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. field — a subject
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. track — a song
  5. game — a match
  6. press — newspapers
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. field — for sport
  11. track — to keep track
  12. can — a tin
  13. field — farmland
  14. press — to push
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. game — wild animals
  17. can — to be able to
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. can — a tin
  21. rock — music
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rock — a stone

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