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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: bound · wave · stand · branch · racket · mine · lash · spell

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. spell — letters
  11. mine — for digging
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bound — certain
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. branch — a division
  24. spell — magic

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