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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. field — for sport
  4. rest — what's left
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. field — a subject
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. branch — a division
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. band — a music group
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rest — a break
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. field — farmland
  23. band — a ring
  24. fan — to cool the air

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