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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. race — humankind
  3. pass — a permit
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bark — to shout
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. branch — a division
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. race — a contest
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bass — low music
  22. race — the arms race
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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