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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. branch — a division
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. field — for sport
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. march — music
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. field — a subject
  11. ball — a dance
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. charge — a price
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. plane — a tool
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. charge — in control
  23. field — farmland
  24. branch — of a tree

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