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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: bay · chip · bowl · track · fan · arm · club · field

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. track — a song
  3. club — a group
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. track — a path
  6. field — for sport
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. field — a subject
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. field — farmland
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. club — for golf
  24. arm — part of the body

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