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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 · lash · deal · leaves · perch · trunk · wave · rush

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. deal — to handle
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. branch — a division
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. perch — the fish
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rush — hurry
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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