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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: bulb · bowl · rock · calf · game · field · capital · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — a subject
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bulb — for light
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. field — for sport
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. capital — money
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. rock — music
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bulb — for light
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. capital — a city
  23. stand — to bear
  24. game — a match

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