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

Word bank: field · kick · stand · pound · branch · safe · chair · suit

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. field — a subject
  3. kick — in football
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. suit — in cards
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. suit — to fit
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. pound — a weight
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. safe — out of danger

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