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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.

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: lash · net · coach · branch · clip · bore · craft · bay

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. craft — a skill
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. net — for catching
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bore — to drill
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. net — after costs
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. clip — for paper
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. clip — to cut
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. clip — a video
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. craft — boats
  24. net — in sport

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