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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. present — the time now
  5. stem — to come from
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — size or range
  9. branch — a division
  10. press — newspapers
  11. present — there
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. press — to push
  16. tube — a container
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. press — a publisher
  19. present — a gift
  20. scale — in music
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. branch — of a bank

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