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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: cap · ruler · stock · field · foot · track · rock · fan

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rock — music
  4. track — to keep track
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. track — a path
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. field — for sport
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. field — farmland
  16. cap — of ice
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. field — a subject
  19. stock — shares
  20. track — a song
  21. stock — goods
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rock — a stone

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