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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. rush — hurry
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. branch — a division
  6. chip — to eat
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. fine — all right
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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