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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. row — to paddle
  3. cap — a hat
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. ground — crushed
  6. cap — a lid
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. ground — a position
  10. row — a line
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ground — the earth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. club — a group
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. foot — a measure
  18. rest — a break
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cap — of ice
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. club — for golf
  24. rush — to hurry

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