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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — farmland
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. content — happy
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mate — to breed
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lean — thin
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. content — the amount
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mate — a partner

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