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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: fine · mark · chair · branch · club · mug · field · pit

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. field — a subject
  5. club — for dancing
  6. fine — all right
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. club — a group
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. club — for golf
  12. mark — a grade
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. field — farmland
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. field — for sport
  21. branch — a division
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mug — a face
  24. fine — high quality

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