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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. branch — a division
  3. chest — of your body
  4. suit — in cards
  5. snap — to click
  6. field — for sport
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. chest — of your body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. deal — to handle
  14. suit — to fit
  15. field — farmland
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. field — a subject
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. suit — clothes
  24. branch — of a tree

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