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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rest — a break
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. snap — to click
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. rest — what's left
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. fine — all right
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. foot — a measure
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rest — what's left

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