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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: branch · bay · mate · mark · clip · lash · row · hide

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. row — to paddle
  4. branch — a division
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. row — a line
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mark — a trace
  15. clip — a video
  16. mark — a grade
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mate — to breed

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