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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: track · rush · bear · mark · fine · field · bank · racket

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mark — a trace
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. field — for sport
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. fine — all right
  12. track — a song
  13. field — a subject
  14. track — to keep track
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. field — farmland
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mark — a grade
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. track — a path
  23. bank — for money
  24. fine — a penalty

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