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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. fine — high quality
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. rash — hasty
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fine — all right
  18. fall — the season
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rash — a series
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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