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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 120 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
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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: bat · track · suit · face · stand · lash · branch · swing

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. track — a song
  5. branch — a division
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. suit — in cards
  9. track — a path
  10. bat — the animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. suit — clothes
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. suit — to fit
  18. face — to confront
  19. track — to keep track
  20. swing — music
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. swing — in golf
  23. face — part of the head
  24. swing — to play on

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