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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.

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: suit · fine · clip · pound · field · bowl · stand · bass

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. fine — all right
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. field — for sport
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. field — farmland
  12. stand — to bear
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — for paper
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bass — low music
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. suit — clothes
  22. clip — a video
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. suit — in cards

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