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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. fine — all right
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. field — a subject
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. field — for sport
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. rash — a series
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. field — farmland
  15. rash — hasty
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stock — shares
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. stock — goods
  21. fine — high quality
  22. toast — bread
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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