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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.

Words on the sheet
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: lash · rush · branch · perch · pit · bass · spring · cap

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bass — low music
  5. spring — a coil
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. spring — the season
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cap — a hat
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cap — of ice
  12. branch — a division
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. spring — of water
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rush — hurry
  23. perch — the fish
  24. cap — a lid

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