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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: branch · leaves · fan · firm · squash · stock · rest · lash

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rest — a break
  3. firm — steady
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rest — what's left
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stock — goods
  14. squash — to crush
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. firm — decided
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. squash — the sport
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. firm — a company
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. branch — a division

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