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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: leaves · branch · lash · capital · fall · stock · chip · temple

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. chip — for betting
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fall — to drop
  10. capital — money
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. stock — goods
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. branch — a division
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fall — the season
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — a city
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. branch — of a tree

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