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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 · game · bound · mark · stand · toast · calf · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. field — for sport
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. toast — bread
  6. game — a match
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bound — obliged
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bound — tied together
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bound — certain
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. stand — to bear
  22. field — a subject
  23. game — wild animals
  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