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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chest — of your body
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bank — for money
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bank — for money
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bank — of a river
  16. chest — a box
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ruler — a monarch

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