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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. scale — size or range
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. mark — a grade
  6. branch — a division
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. object — a thing
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mine — for digging
  16. object — to protest
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. scale — in music
  23. object — an aim
  24. mark — to pay attention

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