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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 · file · field · court · fine · cell · fall · can

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. fall — the season
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — a subject
  5. file — a tool
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. court — of a king
  9. file — a document
  10. can — to be able to
  11. court — of law
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. bank — of a river
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. court — for sport
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bank — for money
  19. file — a line of people
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fine — all right
  22. field — farmland
  23. bank — for money
  24. fine — high quality

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