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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  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. ground — the earth
  2. suit — clothes
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bass — the fish
  5. field — a subject
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. swing — to play on
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. swing — in golf
  16. suit — to fit
  17. field — farmland
  18. swing — music
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. ground — a position
  22. bass — low music
  23. ground — crushed
  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