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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: stand · track · can · field · foot · suit · press · spell

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. can — a tin
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stand — to bear
  6. track — a path
  7. spell — letters
  8. suit — in cards
  9. press — to push
  10. foot — a measure
  11. spell — magic
  12. track — to keep track
  13. field — farmland
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. can — a tin
  16. press — newspapers
  17. can — to be able to
  18. press — a publisher
  19. suit — to fit
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — for sport
  23. suit — clothes
  24. spell — a short time

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