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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rest — a break
  3. branch — a division
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. lean — thin
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wound — an injury
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. chip — to eat
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lean — to bend
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wound — an injury
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rest — what's left

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