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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: lie · lash · branch · spell · bay · rush · chair · pound

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pound — a weight
  3. spell — letters
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. branch — a division
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. chair — a leader
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. spell — magic
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bay — a horse colour

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