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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. field — farmland
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. field — a subject
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stem — to come from
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. roll — a list
  14. branch — a division
  15. field — for sport
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. roll — a cake
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. branch — of a bank

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