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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: branch · pop · firm · dip · foot · lash · fork · bear

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. foot — a measure
  4. dip — to sink
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bear — the animal
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. branch — a division
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pop — music
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pop — to visit
  21. firm — decided
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pop — soda

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