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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. squash — to crush
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. branch — a division
  5. rock — a stone
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pit — in a race
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. squash — the sport
  13. cold — an illness
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. cold — not warm
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. snap — to click
  22. foot — a measure
  23. rock — music
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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