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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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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. branch — a division
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stem — to come from
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wound — an injury
  23. foot — a measure
  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