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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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. field — for sport
  6. chip — to eat
  7. field — farmland
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. field — a subject
  14. bank — for money
  15. fork — in a road
  16. rush — hurry
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stand — to bear
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fan — a supporter

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