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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. dip — to sink
  3. branch — a division
  4. field — a subject
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. track — a path
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. field — for sport
  11. saw — the tool
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. saw — the tool
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. track — to keep track
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. track — a song
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bank — of a river
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. field — farmland
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bank — for money

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