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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  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. track — a path
  3. scale — in music
  4. branch — a division
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. scale — size or range
  8. field — for sport
  9. track — to keep track
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — a song
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bulb — for light
  23. field — a subject
  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