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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.

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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 · stock · press · mark · foot · hide · court · safe

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. press — a publisher
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. court — of law
  10. mark — a trace
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stock — goods
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. court — of a king
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. court — for sport
  20. foot — a measure
  21. branch — a division
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. stock — shares
  24. hide — to keep secret

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