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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.

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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: dip · rock · suit · cabinet · bay · land · fan · field

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. suit — clothes
  4. field — farmland
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rock — music
  8. land — ground
  9. field — a subject
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. suit — in cards
  13. land — a country
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. field — for sport
  18. rock — a stone
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. dip — to sink
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. land — to come down

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