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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: stand · drill · bay · trunk · field · toast · dip · pit

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. field — a subject
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. pit — in a race
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. drill — army training
  14. dip — to sink
  15. toast — bread
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stand — to bear
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pit — a hole
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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