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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: file · stock · field · hand · dip · fine · cue · present

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. hand — help
  3. present — there
  4. cue — for pool
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. field — for sport
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. field — farmland
  10. present — a gift
  11. file — a document
  12. stock — goods
  13. file — a tool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stock — shares
  16. fine — all right
  17. present — the time now
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. file — a line of people
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. cue — a signal
  23. hand — in cards
  24. fine — high quality

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