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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: toast · field · bulb · firm · racket · leaves · rash · ball

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rash — a series
  3. field — farmland
  4. firm — steady
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. firm — decided
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. field — for sport
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bulb — for light
  12. firm — a company
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. ball — a dance
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. field — a subject
  18. toast — bread
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bulb — for light
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. leaves — of a tree

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