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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. court — of law
  3. branch — a division
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mug — to rob
  11. plane — a tool
  12. court — of a king
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. mug — a face
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. mug — a cup
  24. court — for sport

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