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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. branch — a division
  3. field — a subject
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. deal — to handle
  8. field — for sport
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pitch — completely
  14. dip — to sink
  15. field — farmland
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rest — a break
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rest — what's left

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