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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: mine · bound · jam · racket · bank · field · press · suit

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  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 — for money
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. press — to push
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bound — tied together
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bound — obliged
  9. press — newspapers
  10. field — for sport
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bound — certain
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. suit — to fit
  18. press — a publisher
  19. suit — in cards
  20. field — farmland
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. suit — clothes
  23. field — a subject
  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