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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. field — farmland
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. field — for sport
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fine — all right
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. craft — boats
  16. band — a music group
  17. branch — a division
  18. craft — a skill
  19. field — a subject
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. band — a ring
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. ruler — a monarch

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