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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 116 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: cabinet · rush · file · bank · fork · vault · root · field

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. bank — for money
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. root — the cause
  5. bank — for money
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. fork — in a road
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. root — of a word
  12. bank — of a river
  13. field — farmland
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. field — for sport
  17. root — of a plant
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a tool
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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