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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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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. branch — a division
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ball — a great time
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. court — for sport
  10. stock — shares
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wake — a trail
  15. court — of law
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. court — of a king
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. suit — clothes
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stock — goods

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