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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: pitcher · plane · nail · bank · field · fall · fine · stock

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stock — goods
  3. bank — for money
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. fall — the season
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bank — for money
  9. field — farmland
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. field — a subject
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fine — high quality
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fall — to drop
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. field — for sport
  18. stock — shares
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bank — of a river
  24. nail — for a hammer

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