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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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Word bank
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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: mark · staff · bat · rest · branch · foot · spell · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. mark — a trace
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rest — what's left
  7. staff — employees
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. spell — a short time
  10. staff — employees
  11. spell — magic
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rash — hasty
  22. spell — letters
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rest — a break

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