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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bank — for money
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bank — of a river
  5. chest — of your body
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. chest — of your body
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. object — an aim
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. object — to protest
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. court — of a king
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wound — an injury
  17. court — of law
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. court — for sport
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bank — for money
  22. object — a thing
  23. chest — a box
  24. fan — a supporter

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