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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. march — the month
  4. drill — army training
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. perch — the fish
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. march — music
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bank — of a river
  24. march — the month

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