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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mug — a cup
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mug — to rob
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mug — a face
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. hand — help
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stem — to come from
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. branch — a division
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. stem — of a plant

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