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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 · chip · lash · jam · field · bowl · lean · nail

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. field — farmland
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. field — a subject
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. chip — for betting
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. chip — to eat
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lean — to bend
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. field — for sport
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. branch — a division
  22. lean — thin
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bowl — to roll

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