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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. present — the time now
  3. branch — a division
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. present — there
  9. rule — a law
  10. present — a gift
  11. lean — thin
  12. foot — a measure
  13. squash — to crush
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. squash — the sport
  24. lean — to bend

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