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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: staff · pit · branch · rush · foot · bowl · hide · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pit — in a race
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. staff — employees
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rush — hurry
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. staff — employees
  16. branch — a division
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. foot — a measure
  22. date — the fruit
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — of a bank

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