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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
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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: pound · key · swing · dip · calf · field · track · wax

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. swing — music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. swing — to play on
  6. key — in music
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. field — farmland
  9. key — for a lock
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. dip — to sink
  13. swing — in golf
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. field — for sport
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. key — the most important part
  23. track — a path
  24. wax — for sculpting

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