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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: trunk · track · degree · bear · field · coach · mark · toast

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. field — for sport
  3. degree — temperature
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — a subject
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. track — a song
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. track — to keep track
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bear — the animal
  19. degree — from a university
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. toast — bread
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. track — a path

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