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

Word bank: kick · branch · prune · lash · pound · cabinet · root · board

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. root — the cause
  3. board — to get on
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. root — of a word
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pound — a weight
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. kick — in football
  19. board — a committee
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. root — of a plant

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