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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · row · chest · bank · charge · bear · fan

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. charge — a price
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chest — of your body
  7. field — a subject
  8. charge — in control
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bear — the animal
  11. field — for sport
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. row — a line
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. charge — electricity
  20. row — to paddle
  21. field — farmland
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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