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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: face · track · racket · field · dip · patient · plane · stock

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. face — to point toward
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. face — to confront
  7. plane — a tool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. track — a song
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. stock — shares
  17. field — farmland
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. field — for sport
  21. field — a subject
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. face — part of the head
  24. dip — a sauce

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