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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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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: roll · lash · clip · branch · fine · pit · pop · object

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. object — a thing
  3. pop — soda
  4. clip — a video
  5. roll — a list
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. branch — a division
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pop — music
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. clip — for paper
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pop — to visit
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. clip — to cut
  23. roll — a cake
  24. fine — all right

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