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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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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 · bank · pit · mouse · bound · snap · club · root

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — for sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. bound — obliged
  5. root — the cause
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. field — farmland
  8. club — for dancing
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bank — of a river
  11. root — of a word
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — in a race
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. snap — to click
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bank — for money
  21. bound — certain
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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