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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. present — there
  7. branch — a division
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. suit — to fit
  10. deal — to handle
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. perch — the fish
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. present — a gift
  20. bat — the animal
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. present — the time now
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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