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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. field — for sport
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pound — a weight
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bank — for money
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. field — farmland
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. field — a subject
  16. stock — shares
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. stock — goods
  24. coach — a trainer

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