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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. fall — to drop
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. firm — decided
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. fall — the season
  15. season — in sport
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fall — to drop
  20. branch — a division
  21. firm — steady
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. firm — a company
  24. temple — a place of worship

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