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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 120 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
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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: branch · patient · bay · foot · chest · spell · staff · last

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. last — to go on
  8. foot — a measure
  9. last — finally
  10. last — final
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chest — a box
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. staff — a stick
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. spell — magic
  24. chest — of your body

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