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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. current — happening now
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. season — in sport
  15. branch — a division
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pass — a permit
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. season — of the year
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. lash — an eyelash

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