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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 116 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: branch · fine · field · hide · shower · last · mug · ground

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. last — to go on
  3. field — a subject
  4. mug — to rob
  5. branch — a division
  6. field — for sport
  7. last — finally
  8. ground — a position
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. field — farmland
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. ground — crushed
  13. shower — to wash
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mug — a face
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. last — final

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