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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
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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: pit · craft · dip · ball · field · firm · net · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. dip — to sink
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ball — a dance
  6. field — farmland
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ball — a great time
  9. net — in sport
  10. firm — decided
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. firm — a company
  14. pit — in a race
  15. net — for catching
  16. craft — a skill
  17. firm — steady
  18. field — for sport
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. craft — boats
  21. net — after costs
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. field — a subject

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