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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
468
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: craft · bowl · toast · field · branch · file · charge · press

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. file — a tool
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. field — for sport
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. field — a subject
  7. charge — a price
  8. craft — a skill
  9. press — to push
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. toast — bread
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. file — a document
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. field — farmland
  23. file — a line of people
  24. press — a publisher

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