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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · spell · current · branch · field · mine · mate · vault

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. spell — magic
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — a subject
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. spell — a short time
  9. current — happening now
  10. field — farmland
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. vault — a safe
  15. current — of water
  16. mate — a friend
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. current — electric
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. spell — letters
  24. toast — bread

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