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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. board — a committee
  8. wind — moving air
  9. track — a song
  10. branch — a division
  11. wind — moving air
  12. foot — a measure
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. board — to get on
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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