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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: pound · bay · branch · lash · chip · suit · stick · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. suit — in cards
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. chip — to eat
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pound — a weight
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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