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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: drill · suit · deal · field · rock · mouse · stem · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rock — a stone
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. suit — in cards
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stem — to come from
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rock — music
  9. suit — to fit
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. field — for sport
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. drill — the tool
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. field — a subject
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. field — farmland
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. branch — a division
  24. drill — army training

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