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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: rest · branch · spring · plane · field · trunk · pass · swing

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. swing — in golf
  3. field — for sport
  4. spring — a coil
  5. branch — a division
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rest — a break
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. swing — music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. field — farmland
  12. spring — the season
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rest — what's left
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. spring — of water
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. swing — to play on
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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