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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bass — low music
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mate — a friend
  6. court — for sport
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. court — of a king
  9. bear — the animal
  10. court — of law
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bear — the animal
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mate — to breed
  21. branch — a division
  22. bass — the fish
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mate — a partner

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