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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
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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: drill · wind · ball · dip · press · branch · bay · field

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. press — newspapers
  5. field — farmland
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. field — for sport
  9. drill — army training
  10. press — to push
  11. branch — a division
  12. field — a subject
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. ball — a dance
  24. branch — of a bank

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