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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. suit — in cards
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. track — a path
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. track — a song
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. foot — a measure
  12. suit — clothes
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. field — farmland
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — for sport
  22. fork — in a road
  23. last — final
  24. track — to keep track

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