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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: foot · pop · can · press · field · mark · bowl · drill

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pop — music
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pop — to visit
  8. drill — army training
  9. field — farmland
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. press — a publisher
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. press — to push
  17. mark — a trace
  18. can — a tin
  19. drill — a practice
  20. pop — soda
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. can — a tin

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