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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 120 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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. branch — a division
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. field — for sport
  9. rule — a law
  10. bank — for money
  11. firm — a company
  12. field — farmland
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. bank — of a river
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bank — for money
  18. rule — government

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