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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: perch · mark · suit · lash · branch · rock · land · arm

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rock — music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. land — to come down
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mark — a grade
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. branch — a division
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rock — a stone
  19. land — a country
  20. mark — a trace
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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