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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: tube · suit · sharp · firm · club · branch · bay · field

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. club — for golf
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. firm — steady
  6. suit — to fit
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. branch — a division
  12. firm — a company
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. field — a subject
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tube — a container
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. firm — decided
  20. suit — clothes
  21. tube — the underground
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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