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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. branch — a division
  5. bank — of a river
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. capital — money
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lean — thin
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. board — a committee
  16. bank — for money
  17. board — to get on
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — a city
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lean — to bend

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