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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: squash · foot · wave · field · bound · pop · bowl · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pop — soda
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. pit — in a race
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. field — for sport
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pop — music
  15. squash — the sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. field — a subject
  20. bound — certain
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pop — to visit

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