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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. bank — for money
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. march — the month
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. staff — a stick
  7. field — farmland
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bank — for money
  12. field — a subject
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. march — the month
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. staff — employees
  18. bank — of a river
  19. march — music
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. season — in sport
  23. staff — employees
  24. season — of the year

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