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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. branch — a division
  8. bank — of a river
  9. prune — to trim
  10. race — humankind
  11. rule — a law
  12. race — the arms race
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. race — a contest
  17. bank — for money
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bank — for money
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. branch — of a tree

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