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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: field · object · last · drill · toast · chip · calf · bank

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. drill — a practice
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. field — farmland
  7. object — to protest
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. object — an aim
  12. drill — army training
  13. toast — bread
  14. field — a subject
  15. last — final
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. field — for sport
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. last — to go on
  20. bank — for money
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. object — a thing
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. calf — of the leg

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