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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: pop · branch · suit · wound · mine · rock · lash · content

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. content — happy
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pop — to visit
  14. branch — a division
  15. pop — soda
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. content — the amount
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pop — music
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. mine — for digging
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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