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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. key — for a lock
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. current — electric
  6. rash — hasty
  7. current — of water
  8. branch — a division
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. rash — a series
  13. rest — what's left
  14. firm — steady
  15. rest — a break
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. key — in music
  19. firm — decided
  20. foot — a measure
  21. firm — a company
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. current — happening now
  24. foot — part of the body

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