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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 120 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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. drill — a practice
  3. field — a subject
  4. rash — a series
  5. field — farmland
  6. drill — the tool
  7. field — for sport
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. branch — a division
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — army training
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wound — an injury
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. rash — hasty

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