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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: row · stick · mark · bank · season · lash · roll · branch

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. roll — a list
  3. bank — for money
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. mark — a trace
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bank — for money
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. season — of the year
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mark — a grade
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. branch — a division
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. season — in sport
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bank — of a river

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