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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
468
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: fan · racket · club · field · spring · mate · bay · firm

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. firm — decided
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mate — a partner
  8. firm — a company
  9. field — for sport
  10. spring — a coil
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mate — a friend
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — farmland
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. club — a group
  19. mate — to breed
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. firm — steady
  23. spring — the season
  24. fan — to cool the air

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