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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. fine — high quality
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rash — hasty
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. can — a tin
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rash — a series
  13. tube — a container
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fine — all right
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stem — to come from
  20. can — a tin
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. tube — the underground
  24. foot — the bottom

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