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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mark — a grade
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. branch — a division
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stock — shares
  9. dip — to sink
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. squash — to crush
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stock — goods
  16. foot — a measure
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. branch — of a tree

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