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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.

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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: temple · race · fine · bulb · rush · bay · field · branch

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. race — a contest
  3. fine — high quality
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. field — a subject
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — hurry
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fine — all right
  18. bulb — for light
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. race — humankind
  22. field — farmland
  23. branch — a division
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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