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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. key — the most important part
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. snap — to click
  9. bear — the animal
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. branch — a division
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. degree — from a university
  15. key — for a lock
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. degree — temperature
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. degree — an amount
  22. key — in music
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. patient — a sick person

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