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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bank — for money
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bank — for money
  11. deal — to handle
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mate — a partner
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mate — a friend
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mate — to breed

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