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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mate — a friend
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. root — of a plant
  12. field — for sport
  13. root — of a word
  14. rule — government
  15. branch — a division
  16. field — farmland
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. stand — to bear
  21. root — the cause
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. field — a subject

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