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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. fall — the season
  9. fork — in a road
  10. toast — bread
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. field — for sport
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fall — to drop
  17. field — a subject
  18. bank — for money
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bass — the fish
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. fall — to drop
  24. field — farmland

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