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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. mug — a cup
  3. key — in music
  4. field — farmland
  5. branch — a division
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mug — to rob
  10. key — for a lock
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mug — a face
  15. field — a subject
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ball — a dance
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. key — the most important part
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. stem — to come from

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