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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pit — a hole
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rash — a series
  13. branch — a division
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rash — hasty
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. present — the time now
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rush — hurry
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rush — to hurry

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