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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: field · pop · tube · bowl · prune · foot · suit · stand

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — for sport
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. suit — to fit
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. prune — to trim
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pop — music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. pop — soda
  13. suit — in cards
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. tube — a container
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. foot — a measure
  18. prune — to trim
  19. field — a subject
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pop — to visit
  24. tube — the underground

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