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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: pop · safe · rush · field · bat · dip · branch · stock

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pop — music
  4. stock — shares
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. dip — to sink
  9. branch — a division
  10. pop — soda
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. field — for sport
  18. stock — goods
  19. bat — the animal
  20. field — farmland
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. pop — to visit
  24. rush — hurry

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