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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bound · lash · race · branch · ruler · fall · stock · leaves

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. fall — the season
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bound — tied together
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fall — to drop
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. branch — a division
  9. bound — certain
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bound — obliged
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stock — shares
  18. race — humankind
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fall — to drop
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stock — goods

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