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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.

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: craft · bass · mine · scale · branch · bank · temple · lash

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bass — the fish
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bank — for money
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — for digging
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. scale — in music
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bass — low music
  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