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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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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: suit · bark · swing · lash · board · branch · lie · scale

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. suit — clothes
  3. branch — a division
  4. swing — music
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. scale — in music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. scale — size or range
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bark — to shout
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. suit — in cards
  19. board — to get on
  20. swing — in golf
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. board — a committee
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. suit — to fit

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