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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. branch — a division
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bear — the animal
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. staff — employees
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. staff — employees

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