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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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ground — the earth
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. staff — employees
  11. ground — a position
  12. mate — to breed
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stand — to bear
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. ground — crushed
  18. staff — employees
  19. bank — for money
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bank — for money
  23. branch — a division
  24. stand — on your feet

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