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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · rest · lash · spell · bore · row · board · branch

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. spell — magic
  3. branch — a division
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — a line
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bore — to drill
  9. board — a committee
  10. rest — what's left
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bore — to tire
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. board — to get on
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rest — a break
  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