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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pound — a weight
  3. court — of a king
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. field — for sport
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. field — farmland
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. court — of law
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. branch — a division
  16. field — a subject
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. court — for sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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