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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 124 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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. field — a subject
  6. foot — a measure
  7. field — for sport
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. snap — to click
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. suit — clothes
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. file — a document
  21. pass — a permit
  22. branch — a division
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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