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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.

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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 · spring · hide · bowl · bank · suit · track · band

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spring — of water
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. field — farmland
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. field — for sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bank — of a river
  11. band — a music group
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spring — the season
  18. field — a subject
  19. spring — a coil
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. band — a ring
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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