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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pass — a permit
  9. field — for sport
  10. board — a committee
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a line of people
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. board — to get on
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. field — farmland
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. file — a tool

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