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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 120 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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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: fall · field · chip · mark · firm · pitch · wax · bowl

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. chip — to eat
  8. pitch — completely
  9. mark — a trace
  10. field — farmland
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. firm — decided
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. field — a subject
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wax — to grow
  19. field — for sport
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. firm — steady
  23. chip — for betting
  24. firm — a company

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