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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.

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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: roll · mark · kick · bass · field · key · fork · calf

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bass — low music
  7. roll — a cake
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kick — in football
  10. field — a subject
  11. roll — a list
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. key — the most important part
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. mark — a trace
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bass — the fish
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. field — for sport
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. kick — a thrill

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