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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pit — in a race
  5. branch — a division
  6. rash — hasty
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. season — in sport
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. foot — a measure
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. squash — the sport
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pit — a hole
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rash — a series
  21. season — of the year
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. squash — to crush

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