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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 116 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: pitcher · mouse · root · track · fan · shower · mark · field

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. shower — rain
  6. track — a song
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. root — of a word
  9. mark — a grade
  10. shower — to wash
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. field — for sport
  14. track — to keep track
  15. root — of a plant
  16. track — a path
  17. field — farmland
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. root — the cause
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mouse — the animal

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