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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 116 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: game · stand · rash · branch · ground · bay · mark · lash

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. game — a match
  6. branch — a division
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rash — hasty
  10. ground — a position
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ground — the earth
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mark — a trace
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. ground — crushed
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rash — a series
  24. mark — a grade

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