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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. branch — a division
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. swing — to play on
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ground — a position
  19. swing — in golf
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. plane — a tool

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