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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
468
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: bay · bulb · mate · field · swing · leaves · branch · nail

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. field — farmland
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. field — for sport
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. swing — in golf
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. swing — music
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mate — a friend
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. swing — to play on
  17. branch — a division
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. field — a subject
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bulb — for light

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