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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — happy
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bank — for money
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rule — government
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — a division
  19. bank — for money
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rule — a law
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lash — an eyelash

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