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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: branch · game · bass · craft · perch · wave · lash · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. branch — a division
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. game — a match
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bass — low music
  11. game — wild animals
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rule — government
  17. craft — boats
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rule — a law
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. perch — the fish

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