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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.

Make a worksheet

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: field · object · branch · tube · fork · perch · mine · key

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. tube — the underground
  3. perch — the fish
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. object — a thing
  6. key — in music
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. object — to protest
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. branch — a division
  16. tube — a container
  17. field — farmland
  18. mine — for digging
  19. fork — in a road
  20. object — an aim
  21. key — for a lock
  22. field — for sport
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fork — to eat with

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