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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 120 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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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: lash · lie · leaves · squash · bowl · race · stem · branch

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. squash — the sport
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. squash — to crush
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. race — the arms race
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. branch — a division
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. race — humankind
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. race — a contest
  24. leaves — lets stay

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