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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 120 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
468
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 · land · ground · bank · craft · rest · swing · field

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. land — to come down
  3. bank — for money
  4. swing — in golf
  5. craft — boats
  6. land — ground
  7. bank — for money
  8. ground — crushed
  9. field — farmland
  10. swing — to play on
  11. ground — the earth
  12. field — a subject
  13. track — a path
  14. ground — a position
  15. swing — music
  16. rest — a break
  17. field — for sport
  18. land — a country
  19. rest — what's left
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bank — of a river
  22. rest — what's left
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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