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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. branch — a division
  3. field — a subject
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. field — farmland
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. field — for sport
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. arm — a part of something

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