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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 · bore · bulb · jam · lash · dip · wave · mark

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bore — to tire
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bore — to drill
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bulb — for light
  21. branch — a division
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mark — a trace

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