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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: temple · jam · branch · fine · lash · march · patient · fork

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. march — music
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fine — all right
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. fine — high quality
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fork — in a road
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. branch — a division
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. march — the month
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. march — the month
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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