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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 120 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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. clip — for paper
  3. rest — a break
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. cap — a lid
  7. charge — in control
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cap — of ice
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cap — a hat
  15. clip — to cut
  16. charge — a price
  17. branch — a division
  18. rest — what's left
  19. foot — a measure
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. firm — decided
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. clip — a video

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