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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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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 · can · pound · suit · lash · mine · rush · chair

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. rush — hurry
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. suit — to fit
  14. can — to be able to
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — a leader
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — a weight
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. suit — clothes

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