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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: arm · tear · straw · track · branch · foot · ruler · stand

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. tear — to rip
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. branch — a division
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. tear — from crying
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. track — a song
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stand — to bear
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  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