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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lie — to recline
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. date — the fruit
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. branch — a division
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pit — a hole
  17. file — a line of people
  18. foot — a measure

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