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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.

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: leaves · branch · ground · lash · ruler · rest · suit · field

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. suit — clothes
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rest — a break
  5. ground — a position
  6. branch — a division
  7. field — farmland
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. suit — to fit
  12. field — for sport
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. suit — in cards
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rest — what's left
  17. field — a subject
  18. ground — the earth
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. ruler — for measuring

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