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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. field — a subject
  7. suit — to fit
  8. drill — the tool
  9. march — the month
  10. suit — clothes
  11. drill — army training
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — for money
  14. wind — moving air
  15. march — music
  16. field — farmland
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bank — for money
  20. mine — for digging
  21. march — the month
  22. field — for sport
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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