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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. key — in music
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pop — to visit
  5. branch — a division
  6. field — a subject
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pop — music
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cap — a hat
  12. key — the most important part
  13. field — farmland
  14. dip — to sink
  15. cap — a lid
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pop — soda
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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