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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bank — for money
  6. fine — all right
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. present — there
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wake — a trail
  16. present — the time now
  17. tube — the underground
  18. present — a gift
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bank — for money
  21. tube — a container
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fine — high quality
  24. branch — of a bank

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