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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: saw · object · bank · squash · bulb · field · ground · coach

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. object — an aim
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — a thing
  6. bank — of a river
  7. field — farmland
  8. saw — the tool
  9. squash — to crush
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ground — a position
  12. object — to protest
  13. bulb — for light
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. ground — crushed
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ground — the earth
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. field — a subject
  23. bulb — for light
  24. field — for sport

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