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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 116 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. net — after costs
  4. rest — what's left
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — in sport
  7. present — a gift
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bank — for money
  11. object — an aim
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. present — the time now
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. present — there
  17. suit — clothes
  18. branch — a division
  19. object — to protest
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rest — a break
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — a thing

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