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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.

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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: stand · row · calf · wound · dip · mark · season · field

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. field — for sport
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. dip — to sink
  12. season — in sport
  13. mark — a grade
  14. row — a line
  15. mark — a trace
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. field — farmland
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. field — a subject
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. stand — to bear
  24. calf — a young 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