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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pit — a hole
  4. last — finally
  5. chip — for betting
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. branch — a division
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. last — final
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. chip — to eat
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. last — to go on
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. branch — of a bank
  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