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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bank — for money
  3. stand — to bear
  4. track — a path
  5. mine — for digging
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. field — farmland
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mate — a friend
  11. land — ground
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bank — for money
  14. field — a subject
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. land — a country
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. land — to come down
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mate — a partner
  24. field — for sport

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