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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
468
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: field · wax · mark · face · dip · court · temple · pit

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. field — for sport
  3. dip — to sink
  4. court — of a king
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. court — for sport
  11. field — a subject
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. field — farmland
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. court — of law
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wax — to grow
  22. face — to confront
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. temple — side of the head

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