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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. branch — a division
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. drill — a practice
  7. court — of law
  8. drill — the tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. key — for a lock
  14. court — of a king
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. drill — army training
  18. key — in music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. court — for sport
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. saw — the tool

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