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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: degree · bay · field · lash · craft · fan · stand · rock

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. field — for sport
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. craft — a skill
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. degree — temperature
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. degree — from a university
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. degree — an amount
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. rock — music

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