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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bound — certain
  10. pop — soda
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pop — to visit
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bound — tied together
  17. tear — to rip
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bound — obliged
  20. ground — crushed
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. toast — bread
  23. pop — music
  24. tear — from crying

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