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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: branch · lean · club · ruler · field · file · suit · present

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. club — for dancing
  5. file — a line of people
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — farmland
  10. present — there
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. present — a gift
  15. club — a group
  16. present — the time now
  17. file — a document
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. file — a tool
  21. lean — to bend
  22. field — a subject
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lean — thin

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