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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. can — a tin
  4. land — to come down
  5. season — in sport
  6. land — ground
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. can — a tin
  9. land — a country
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. net — for catching
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. net — after costs
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. season — of the year
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. net — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. rush — hurry
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. branch — a division
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. can — to be able to

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