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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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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: mate · object · kick · lash · kid · toast · branch · bear

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mate — a friend
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. object — an aim
  16. kid — child
  17. bear — the animal
  18. object — a thing
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. object — to protest
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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