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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 · fine · spell · cap · lash · dip · stem · bulb

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. fine — all right
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cap — a hat
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. branch — a division
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. stem — to come from
  19. spell — magic
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. spell — letters

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