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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bank — for money
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rash — a series
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rest — a break
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. field — farmland
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. field — for sport
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rash — hasty
  20. field — a subject
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bank — of a river

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