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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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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: swing · deal · field · pass · board · temple · branch · stick

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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 — farmland
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. board — a committee
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. deal — to handle
  9. field — for sport
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. swing — music
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. board — to get on
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pass — a permit

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