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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · present · season · fall · lash · plane · branch · mouse

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. season — of the year
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. fall — the season
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. branch — a division
  11. present — there
  12. hand — help
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. fall — to drop
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. season — in sport
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lash — to lash out

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