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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mug — to rob
  4. prune — to trim
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mug — a face
  11. rest — a break
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rest — what's left
  14. swing — music
  15. rush — hurry
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mug — a cup
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rest — what's left
  21. swing — in golf
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. prune — to trim
  24. swing — to play on

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