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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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. race — the arms race
  4. chest — of your body
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. object — to protest
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. chest — of your body
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — humankind
  14. chest — a box
  15. lean — thin
  16. object — an aim
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. prune — to trim
  22. object — a thing
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. root — of a word

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