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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cue — a hint
  6. season — of the year
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cue — for pool
  10. branch — a division
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mark — a trace
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rock — music
  20. row — a line
  21. season — in sport
  22. row — to paddle
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. scale — in music

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