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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: fan · club · toast · track · bank · bore · field · stem

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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. bank — for money
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — farmland
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. club — for golf
  14. bank — of a river
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. toast — bread
  24. club — a group

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