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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.

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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: bank · deal · bay · key · lash · branch · kick · arm

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. deal — to handle
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. key — for a lock
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. branch — a division
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. key — in music
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bank — for money
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bank — for money
  20. kick — in football
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bank — of a river
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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