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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: net · field · object · game · roll · fine · suit · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. suit — clothes
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. field — farmland
  6. bank — of a river
  7. fine — high quality
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. suit — to fit
  10. game — wild animals
  11. field — for sport
  12. fine — all right
  13. bank — for money
  14. net — for catching
  15. field — a subject
  16. roll — a cake
  17. net — in sport
  18. roll — a list
  19. object — an aim
  20. net — after costs
  21. game — a match
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. suit — in cards

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