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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. suit — to fit
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. firm — a company
  6. content — the amount
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pop — music
  9. content — happy
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pop — to visit
  12. kid — child
  13. firm — decided
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. foot — a measure
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. pop — soda
  21. firm — steady
  22. branch — a division
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bank — for money

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