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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rock — a stone
  3. foot — a measure
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rock — music
  9. race — the arms race
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bear — the animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. race — humankind
  14. branch — a division
  15. race — a contest
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. date — the fruit
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — to handle

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