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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.

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: object · mark · bank · branch · date · hide · lash · mouse

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. object — to protest
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. date — the fruit
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. object — a thing
  19. bank — for money
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. object — an aim
  22. bank — for money
  23. mark — a grade
  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