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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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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 · kick · fork · wind · lash · safe · object · calf

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. kick — in football
  7. object — an aim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. object — a thing
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fork — in a road
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. object — to protest
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. wind — moving air

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