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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. march — the month
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stock — shares
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. march — music
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. board — to get on
  13. march — the month
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. board — a committee
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bark — to shout
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. branch — a division
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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