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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: cap · fine · deal · field · branch · squash · key · object

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. field — for sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. key — in music
  7. field — a subject
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. branch — a division
  10. object — to protest
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cap — of ice
  13. object — a thing
  14. field — farmland
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cap — a lid
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. fine — high quality
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cap — a hat
  24. object — an aim

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