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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
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 · bass · chair · leaves · nail · branch · mark · row

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. row — a line
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. row — to paddle
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. chair — a leader
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bass — low music
  24. chair — to sit on

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