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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
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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: field · can · dip · stem · season · ground · jam · ball

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. can — a tin
  4. field — a subject
  5. season — of the year
  6. dip — to sink
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stem — to come from
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ground — a position
  14. field — for sport
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. field — farmland
  18. ground — crushed
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. ball — a great time
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. season — in sport
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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