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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: fan · band · pit · field · race · bank · key · foot

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bank — for money
  4. key — for a lock
  5. race — humankind
  6. field — farmland
  7. field — for sport
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. band — a music group
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pit — a hole
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — in a race
  18. band — a ring
  19. foot — a measure
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. key — the most important part
  23. race — a contest
  24. field — a subject

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