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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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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 · jam · spring · calf · branch · bear · dip · roll

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. branch — a division
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bear — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. spring — the season
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. spring — of water
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bear — the animal
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. spring — a coil
  21. dip — to sink
  22. roll — a list
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. roll — a cake

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