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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: field · bank · fine · net · march · foot · fork · toast

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bank — for money
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. field — a subject
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fine — all right
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. net — for catching
  9. field — for sport
  10. march — music
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. march — the month
  14. toast — bread
  15. net — after costs
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fork — in a road
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. field — farmland
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. net — in sport
  22. bank — for money
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fork — a garden tool

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