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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: track · can · bear · ball · dip · sharp · field · rock

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ball — a great time
  3. field — a subject
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. sharp — clever
  6. field — for sport
  7. dip — to sink
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. track — a song
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. rock — music
  15. track — a path
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rock — a stone
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. can — to be able to
  20. ball — a dance
  21. track — to keep track
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ball — a round shape
  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