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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fall — to drop
  6. tear — from crying
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. season — of the year
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. fall — to drop
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fall — the season
  14. fine — all right
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fine — high quality
  17. tear — to rip
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. suit — in cards
  22. band — a ring
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. branch — a division

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