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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
468
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: branch · ball · board · craft · swing · straw · shower · lash

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. swing — music
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. craft — boats
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. swing — in golf
  14. shower — to wash
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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