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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rock — music
  6. foot — a measure
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. spell — a short time
  12. capital — money
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. spell — magic
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. capital — a city
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rock — a stone
  23. spell — letters
  24. stand — to bear

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