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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · pass · file · game · pitcher · field · firm · mark

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. file — a tool
  3. pass — a permit
  4. firm — a company
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — farmland
  8. mark — a grade
  9. game — a match
  10. file — a line of people
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mark — a trace
  14. file — a document
  15. spell — magic
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. field — for sport
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. spell — letters
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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