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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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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: lash · trunk · branch · craft · root · capital · safe · squash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. branch — a division
  8. root — of a plant
  9. craft — a skill
  10. root — of a word
  11. craft — boats
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. capital — a city
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. root — the cause
  18. squash — to crush
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. capital — money

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