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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: clip · rule · rash · leaves · branch · spell · lash · bear

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. clip — a video
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. clip — to cut
  8. rule — government
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rash — a series
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. spell — letters
  22. rule — a law
  23. branch — a division
  24. clip — for paper

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