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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. lean — to bend
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. suit — clothes
  10. date — the fruit
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spring — a coil
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. branch — a division
  21. spring — of water
  22. lean — thin
  23. suit — in cards
  24. calf — a young animal

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