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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. march — music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. branch — a division
  6. key — for a lock
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. deal — to handle

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