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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 116 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. suit — to fit
  3. field — a subject
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bank — for money
  6. land — a country
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. can — a tin
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. file — a document
  11. suit — in cards
  12. land — to come down
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bank — of a river
  17. can — a tin
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a line of people
  20. field — for sport
  21. suit — clothes
  22. field — farmland
  23. bank — for money
  24. can — to be able to

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