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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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stock — goods
  4. rash — a series
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stock — shares
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rash — hasty

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