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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: nail · pit · rock · court · field · deal · rash · wave

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. field — a subject
  3. court — for sport
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. court — of law
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. court — of a king
  16. field — farmland
  17. deal — to handle
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rash — a series
  24. pit — a hole

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