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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 120 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: branch · season · plane · rush · arm · board · pop · lash

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. branch — a division
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. board — to get on
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. season — in sport
  8. board — a committee
  9. pop — to visit
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. season — of the year
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pop — soda
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pop — music
  24. arm — part of the body

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