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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. field — a subject
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bank — for money
  5. mark — a trace
  6. field — for sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. drill — a practice
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mark — a grade
  12. perch — the fish
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. field — farmland
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — army training
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. mine — for digging

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