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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: lash · wave · cue · leaves · branch · bank · squash · drill

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bank — for money
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bank — of a river
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. drill — the tool
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bank — for money
  14. drill — army training
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cue — a signal
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. branch — a division
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. squash — to crush
  24. drill — a practice

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