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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. field — for sport
  6. firm — steady
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. march — music
  11. lie — to recline
  12. firm — a company
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. march — the month
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rock — music
  17. field — a subject
  18. march — the month
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. rock — a stone
  23. firm — decided
  24. lie — an untruth

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