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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. field — a subject
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. field — for sport
  5. last — final
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rule — government
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. press — a publisher
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. field — farmland
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — finally
  24. rule — a law

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