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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. can — a tin
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bank — for money
  8. ground — a position
  9. race — humankind
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. can — a tin
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — a contest
  17. bank — for money
  18. ground — the earth
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ground — crushed
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — child
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. can — to be able to

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