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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: branch · rule · bore · plane · straw · race · temple · lash

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rule — government
  4. plane — a tool
  5. race — a contest
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. branch — a division
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rule — a law
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bore — to tire
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. race — humankind
  24. rule — to rule out

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