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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. wake — a trail
  4. field — for sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. swing — to play on
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. charge — a price
  10. swing — in golf
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. field — a subject
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. swing — music
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. field — farmland
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. season — to add flavour

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