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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 120 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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pop — soda
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pop — to visit
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. branch — a division
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pop — music
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. suit — to fit
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. snap — to click
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. wax — to grow
  23. suit — in cards
  24. lash — to lash out

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