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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
468
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: foot · temple · wave · fan · branch · ground · racket · swing

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. ground — crushed
  13. swing — music
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. branch — a division
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — in golf
  21. ground — the earth
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ground — a position

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