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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. spring — a coil
  4. deal — to handle
  5. face — part of the head
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. face — to confront
  14. last — finally
  15. spring — the season
  16. face — to point toward
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. branch — a division
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. spring — of water

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