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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: net · craft · mouse · branch · prune · foot · shower · lash

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. prune — to trim
  10. net — in sport
  11. craft — a skill
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. craft — boats
  14. branch — a division
  15. net — for catching
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. net — after costs

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