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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. firm — a company
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. firm — decided
  5. branch — a division
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. perch — the fish
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a skill
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cold — not warm
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. firm — steady
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cold — an illness
  24. kick — with a leg

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