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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bank — for money
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. field — farmland
  10. object — to protest
  11. rash — a series
  12. object — a thing
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. field — for sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rash — hasty
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stem — to come from
  24. object — an aim

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