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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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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: firm · kid · suit · field · mug · leaves · rest · branch

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. rest — what's left
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. field — a subject
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. kid — child
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. firm — a company
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rest — a break
  17. firm — steady
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. branch — a division
  20. kid — to tease
  21. field — for sport
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rest — what's left
  24. firm — decided

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