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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 · bay · jam · arm · bulb · lash · lie · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. branch — a division
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. lie — to recline
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. branch — of a tree

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