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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. branch — a division
  3. chip — to eat
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — rain
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. shower — to wash
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fine — all right
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fine — high quality
  24. branch — of a tree

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