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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 120 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: lash · plane · straw · mouse · branch · club · suit · rock

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. club — for golf
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. suit — clothes
  10. plane — a tool
  11. branch — a division
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. club — a group
  21. suit — to fit
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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