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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 124 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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. field — for sport
  4. bank — for money
  5. rock — a stone
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rock — music
  9. club — a group
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. club — for golf
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. swing — to play on
  18. field — farmland
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. club — for dancing
  21. swing — music
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. swing — in golf

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