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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. suit — in cards
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. branch — a division
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rock — music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bass — low music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bass — the instrument

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