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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.

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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 · rush · last · mine · mouse · bank · lash · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bank — of a river
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. last — to go on
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. last — final
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rush — hurry
  21. last — finally
  22. bank — for money
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. mine — an explosive

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