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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.

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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: field · content · stand · pit · stick · cabinet · bank · suit

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bank — of a river
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — a subject
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. content — the amount
  9. bank — for money
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. field — for sport
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pit — a hole
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bank — for money
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. content — happy
  23. suit — clothes
  24. content — videos and posts

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