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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: lash · root · spell · chip · branch · bay · mouse · scale

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. spell — magic
  4. chip — to eat
  5. root — of a word
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. spell — a short time
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. spell — letters
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. root — of a plant
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. scale — in music
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. root — the cause
  20. chip — for betting
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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