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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. suit — to fit
  4. field — farmland
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fine — all right
  7. mate — a partner
  8. saw — the tool
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mate — a friend
  11. fine — high quality
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. root — of a word
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mate — to breed
  16. root — the cause
  17. stand — to bear
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — for sport
  20. suit — in cards
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — a division
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. root — of a plant

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