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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bank · coach · field · pitcher · rush · fan · firm · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. field — a subject
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. firm — steady
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. field — for sport
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. kick — in football
  19. field — farmland
  20. bank — for money
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bank — for money

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