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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: rock · racket · branch · straw · foot · lean · deal · pit

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. lean — thin
  9. pit — a hole
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rock — music
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — to bend
  23. branch — a division
  24. foot — a measure

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