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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
468
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: kid · rock · mark · field · mate · track · suit · bowl

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. suit — clothes
  8. track — a path
  9. mark — a trace
  10. field — a subject
  11. kid — to tease
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rock — music
  15. track — a song
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. kid — child
  24. mate — a friend

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