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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chest — of your body
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bound — obliged
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — farmland
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. chest — a box
  12. chest — of your body
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bound — tied together
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. foot — a measure
  18. branch — a division
  19. bound — certain
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. field — a subject

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