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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. fine — high quality
  9. branch — a division
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. deal — to handle
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. fine — all right
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wake — a trail
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. tube — a container

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