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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pitch · field · dip · bulb · wake · bear · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. field — for sport
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. wake — a trail
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. field — farmland
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. dip — to sink
  18. field — a subject
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bulb — for light

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