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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: bass · lash · bowl · mouse · row · rock · branch · wave

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. row — a line
  5. rock — a stone
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rock — music
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bass — the fish
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bass — low music
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bowl — a dish

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