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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ground — the earth
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. ground — a position
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. toast — bread
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ground — crushed
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. 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