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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: bank · field · ball · rule · bulb · calf · stand · racket

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. field — farmland
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bulb — for light
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. field — a subject
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. stand — to bear
  20. field — for sport
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bank — for money
  24. ball — a great time

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