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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: toast · mark · field · mug · pop · lean · racket · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. field — for sport
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mark — a grade
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bank — for money
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bank — for money
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mug — to rob
  18. lean — thin
  19. toast — bread
  20. field — a subject
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mug — a face
  23. field — farmland
  24. lean — to bend

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