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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: bay · lash · spell · pitch · field · drill · board · wake

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. field — a subject
  3. wake — a trail
  4. field — for sport
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. board — to get on
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. spell — letters
  10. field — farmland
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. board — a committee
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. drill — army training
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. spell — magic
  19. drill — a practice
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. lash — an eyelash

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