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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 116 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: land · deal · firm · racket · can · field · dip · present

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. firm — decided
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. field — for sport
  8. can — a tin
  9. present — a gift
  10. field — a subject
  11. present — the time now
  12. can — to be able to
  13. dip — to sink
  14. field — farmland
  15. firm — a company
  16. land — a country
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. firm — steady
  19. present — there
  20. can — a tin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — ground
  24. deal — to handle

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