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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. file — a line of people
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. spring — of water
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. spring — a coil
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rush — hurry
  21. roll — a list
  22. branch — a division
  23. spring — the season
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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