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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · squash · lean · root · pit · bay · scale · branch

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pit — a hole
  3. root — the cause
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. squash — to crush
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. branch — a division
  10. scale — in music
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. root — of a plant
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. pit — in a race
  16. firm — a company
  17. lean — thin
  18. root — of a word
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. squash — the sport
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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