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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. fork — in a road
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bank — for money
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bank — of a river
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wound — an injury
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. tube — a container
  13. foot — a measure
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. face — to confront
  17. bank — for money
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. face — part of the head
  23. wound — an injury
  24. face — to point toward

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