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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. field — farmland
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bound — obliged
  7. object — an aim
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pound — a weight
  15. object — to protest
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. field — a subject
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. object — a thing
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. branch — a division
  24. mark — a trace

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