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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bank — for money
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. track — a path
  9. field — for sport
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. plane — a tool
  14. field — farmland
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — to push
  17. bank — of a river
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. track — a song
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. field — a subject
  23. bank — for money
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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