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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 116 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: suit · field · drill · squash · cell · track · fine · bank

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. track — a song
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. drill — the tool
  7. track — a path
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — farmland
  10. drill — a practice
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. drill — army training
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cell — a phone
  18. fine — high quality
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cell — in biology
  21. field — for sport
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fine — all right
  24. track — to keep track

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