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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: pop · branch · safe · bark · scale · rash · land · lash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. land — a country
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pop — soda
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. scale — in music
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rash — a series
  11. pop — music
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. branch — a division
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. land — to come down
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. scale — size or range
  20. land — ground
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pop — to visit
  24. scale — for weighing

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