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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: rash · bank · field · fine · content · suit · ground · wax

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. field — a subject
  4. ground — the earth
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bank — for money
  7. ground — a position
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bank — for money
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. suit — to fit
  16. content — the amount
  17. field — for sport
  18. ground — crushed
  19. wax — to grow
  20. field — farmland
  21. content — happy
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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