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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: roll · foot · nail · branch · leaves · stock · rash · bore

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. roll — a cake
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bore — to drill
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rash — hasty
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. rash — a series
  10. bore — to tire
  11. branch — a division
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. roll — a list
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. stock — goods

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