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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 116 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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. squash — to crush
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. squash — the sport
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cell — a phone
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. cell — in biology
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. pass — a permit
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mark — a trace
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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