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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spell — magic
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. foot — a measure
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ground — a position
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rest — a break
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rest — what's left
  16. branch — a division
  17. suit — clothes
  18. spell — letters
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ground — the earth
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. ground — crushed
  23. spell — a short time
  24. branch — of a tree

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