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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: foot · bay · shower · field · mate · trunk · branch · suit

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. suit — clothes
  5. field — for sport
  6. field — a subject
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. field — farmland
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — a friend
  16. suit — in cards
  17. shower — rain
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. branch — a division
  20. shower — to wash
  21. suit — to fit
  22. foot — a measure
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. mate — to breed

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