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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.

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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mine — for digging
  3. net — after costs
  4. field — for sport
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. suit — clothes
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. field — a subject
  11. sharp — clever
  12. net — for catching
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bank — for money
  15. suit — to fit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bank — for money
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. field — farmland
  24. sharp — with an edge

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