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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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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: lash · pitch · face · fan · toast · branch · hand · stock

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stock — shares
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. face — to point toward
  15. toast — bread
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. branch — a division
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. face — to confront
  20. stock — goods
  21. hand — in cards
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pitch — a sports field

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