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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. vault — a safe
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. date — the fruit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. branch — a division
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rest — a break
  22. season — in sport
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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