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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: mark · ball · field · wax · fork · fine · object · jam

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. field — farmland
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fork — in a road
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. object — to protest
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. object — an aim
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mark — a grade
  17. field — a subject
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. field — for sport
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. fine — all right

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