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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. field — for sport
  3. branch — a division
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. field — a subject
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. rest — what's left
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. kick — in football
  13. shower — rain
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. deal — to handle
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rest — what's left
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rest — a break
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. shower — to wash
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. field — farmland

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