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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: field · cabinet · dip · racket · track · firm · ball · swing

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. swing — in golf
  4. track — a song
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. firm — decided
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. field — for sport
  16. swing — music
  17. firm — a company
  18. field — a subject
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. swing — to play on
  22. track — a path
  23. firm — steady
  24. field — farmland

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