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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: field · can · present · bank · deal · rash · staff · mouse

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. present — there
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bank — of a river
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. field — a subject
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. field — farmland
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. can — a tin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. present — the time now
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rash — hasty
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. field — for sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — a tin
  23. rash — a series
  24. staff — employees

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