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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rash — a series
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mark — a grade
  10. branch — a division
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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