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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. rock — music
  3. file — a document
  4. field — a subject
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. field — farmland
  7. key — in music
  8. bank — for money
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. field — for sport
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rock — a stone
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. key — for a lock
  24. patient — a sick person

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