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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · stock · object · lash · root · foot · branch · rash

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stock — goods
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stock — shares
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. foot — a measure
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. root — the cause
  18. rash — hasty
  19. object — a thing
  20. root — of a word
  21. object — to protest
  22. rash — a series
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. object — an aim

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