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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 116 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — the tool
  4. field — a subject
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. field — farmland
  11. club — for dancing
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. press — to push
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. suit — in cards
  16. club — a group
  17. suit — to fit
  18. deal — to handle
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. branch — a division
  24. field — for sport

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