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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pass — a permit
  12. suit — to fit
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. net — after costs
  19. suit — in cards
  20. branch — a division
  21. net — in sport
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fan — a supporter

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