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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
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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: branch · coach · content · cabinet · deal · object · lash · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. object — an aim
  8. deal — to handle
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. branch — a division
  15. content — the amount
  16. object — to protest
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. object — a thing
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. deal — a big deal

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