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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: branch · key · rush · sharp · bay · spell · wound · lash

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wound — an injury
  3. branch — a division
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. spell — magic
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wound — an injury
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. key — in music
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. key — for a lock
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. key — the most important part
  24. spell — letters

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