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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 116 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: branch · tube · land · cue · straw · dip · coach · lash

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. cue — a signal
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — ground
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. branch — a division
  14. dip — to sink
  15. cue — a hint
  16. tube — a container
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cue — for pool
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. land — a country
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. coach — a trainer

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