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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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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: branch · mark · wound · lash · mate · suit · wind · patient

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mark — a trace
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wound — an injury
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. branch — a division
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. mate — a friend
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mate — to breed
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wind — to turn a key

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