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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. branch — a division
  3. field — a subject
  4. rule — government
  5. pound — a weight
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. field — farmland
  10. fine — all right
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rule — a law
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. field — for sport
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. safe — out of danger

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