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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: fan · branch · lash · fine · foot · craft · tear · row

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fine — high quality
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. craft — a skill
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. tear — from crying
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. foot — a measure
  19. row — a line
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. tear — to rip
  22. craft — boats
  23. fine — all right
  24. row — a quarrel

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