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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.

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 · bank · scale · nail · ball · stick · stand · board

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. field — for sport
  8. stand — to bear
  9. scale — in music
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. ball — a dance
  12. board — a committee
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bank — of a river
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. field — a subject
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. field — farmland

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