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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. deal — to handle
  3. field — farmland
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bank — for money
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. season — in sport
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bank — of a river
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. field — a subject
  13. toast — bread
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bank — for money
  20. season — of the year
  21. wax — to grow
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rest — a break
  24. wake — a trail

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