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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 120 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. current — happening now
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. current — electric
  9. spell — a short time
  10. branch — a division
  11. spell — letters
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. season — of the year
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. current — of water
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. spell — magic
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lie — to recline
  24. season — in sport

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