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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: foot · toast · rock · branch · object · fine · march · bound

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rock — music
  3. bound — certain
  4. branch — a division
  5. march — music
  6. fine — all right
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. object — to protest
  11. bound — obliged
  12. object — an aim
  13. march — the month
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. object — a thing
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rock — a stone
  18. march — the month
  19. bound — tied together
  20. fine — high quality
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. toast — bread
  24. branch — of a tree

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