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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bank — for money
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. file — a line of people
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. scale — in music
  12. file — a document
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. file — a tool
  15. stand — to bear
  16. branch — a division
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bank — for money
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bank — of a river

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