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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · field · rock · bank · pit · cabinet · nail · court

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pit — a hole
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bank — for money
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — music
  9. field — for sport
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bank — for money
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. field — farmland
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. field — a subject
  21. court — of law
  22. court — of a king
  23. court — for sport
  24. rock — to move gently

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