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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. shower — to wash
  3. branch — a division
  4. firm — decided
  5. suit — clothes
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. firm — steady
  10. band — a music group
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. field — for sport
  13. suit — to fit
  14. staff — employees
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. band — a ring
  18. staff — employees
  19. suit — in cards
  20. field — farmland
  21. squash — the sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. firm — a company
  24. squash — to crush

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