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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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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: mug · bark · can · branch · field · lash · present · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. mug — a face
  8. present — there
  9. can — a tin
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. can — to be able to
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. field — for sport
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bark — to shout
  18. field — a subject
  19. branch — a division
  20. present — a gift
  21. field — farmland
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. present — the time now
  24. lash — to lash out

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