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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. craft — a skill
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. craft — boats
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fork — in a road

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