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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 · wind · rush · field · suit · current · pitcher · mark

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. field — farmland
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. current — of water
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bank — for money
  9. field — a subject
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. current — electric
  13. bank — for money
  14. wind — moving air
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wind — moving air
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. suit — to fit
  19. current — happening now
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bank — of a river
  22. mark — a grade
  23. field — for sport
  24. mark — a trace

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