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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: branch · lie · object · nail · patient · chest · lash · ball

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. object — an aim
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. object — a thing
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ball — a dance
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. object — to protest
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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