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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: ground · leaves · net · field · pass · fine · arm · drill

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. field — for sport
  4. ground — a position
  5. field — a subject
  6. net — in sport
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pass — a permit
  9. ground — the earth
  10. net — after costs
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. net — for catching
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fine — high quality
  19. ground — crushed
  20. fine — all right
  21. drill — a practice
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. field — farmland

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