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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rash — hasty
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. deal — to handle
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. track — a song
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lie — to recline
  18. track — a path
  19. rash — a series
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. track — to keep track

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