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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: suit · net · charge · foot · track · field · fall · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fall — the season
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. field — for sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — in sport
  9. track — a path
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. charge — electricity
  14. track — to keep track
  15. suit — in cards
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fall — to drop
  18. foot — a measure
  19. field — a subject
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. suit — clothes
  23. field — farmland
  24. track — a song

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