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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: charge · branch · lash · current · march · bay · dip · foot

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. current — of water
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. dip — to sink
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. branch — a division
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. march — music
  15. foot — a measure
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. march — the month
  19. charge — in control
  20. current — happening now
  21. march — the month
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. current — electric

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