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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 · prune · suit · lash · bat · bay · rule · saw

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. saw — the tool
  4. branch — a division
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. saw — the tool
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rule — government
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bat — the animal
  18. rule — a law
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. suit — to fit

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