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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bank — for money
  5. key — in music
  6. bank — of a river
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. field — a subject
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. key — the most important part
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fork — in a road
  23. field — for sport
  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