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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · content · branch · ruler · patient · stand · mug · lash

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mug — a face
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mug — a cup
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. content — happy
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — the amount
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. branch — a division
  22. mug — to rob
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stand — to bear

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