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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. branch — a division
  5. bank — for money
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. last — final
  11. last — to go on
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bank — of a river
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. can — a tin
  21. rash — a series
  22. last — finally
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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