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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 · suit · branch · land · rash · stock · calf · dip

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. land — to come down
  4. branch — a division
  5. suit — clothes
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. suit — in cards
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. land — ground
  11. land — a country
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rash — a series
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. dip — to sink
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. lash — to lash out

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