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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: hide · toast · ball · nail · bank · field · rule · season

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. field — for sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. season — of the year
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bank — for money
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rule — government
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. field — farmland
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rule — a law
  15. field — a subject
  16. season — in sport
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bank — of a river
  20. toast — bread
  21. ball — a dance
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ball — a round shape

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