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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: field · branch · mug · current · drill · club · mark · board

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. current — happening now
  3. drill — army training
  4. field — a subject
  5. mug — a cup
  6. branch — a division
  7. current — of water
  8. club — a group
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mug — to rob
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. board — to get on
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mug — a face
  17. field — farmland
  18. drill — a practice
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mark — a trace
  21. club — for golf
  22. current — electric
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. board — a committee

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