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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. foot — a measure
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rest — what's left
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rest — a break
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. swing — to play on
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. swing — in golf
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bass — low music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bass — the fish
  24. swing — music

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