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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. branch — a division
  3. fall — to drop
  4. field — a subject
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mate — a partner
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chip — to eat
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bulb — for light
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. field — farmland
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mate — to breed
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bulb — for light
  23. field — for sport
  24. ball — a great time

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