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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. deal — to handle
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. branch — a division
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rest — what's left

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