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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: jam · perch · rock · lash · board · nail · snap · branch

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rock — a stone
  3. snap — to click
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. board — a committee
  13. branch — a division
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rock — music
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. board — to get on
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. nail — for a hammer

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