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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. object — a thing
  5. field — for sport
  6. root — of a word
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. field — a subject
  11. object — to protest
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wind — moving air
  15. object — an aim
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. suit — in cards
  18. branch — a division
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. root — the cause
  22. suit — to fit
  23. root — of a plant
  24. nail — for a hammer

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