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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
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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: lash · pop · cap · plane · perch · branch · staff · chip

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. branch — a division
  3. cap — of ice
  4. chip — to eat
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pop — music
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — to visit
  10. cap — a lid
  11. staff — employees
  12. plane — a tool
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. cap — a hat
  15. perch — the fish
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. chip — for betting
  22. staff — employees
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. staff — a stick

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