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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.

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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: fall · branch · lash · rule · pitcher · trunk · season · wax

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fall — the season
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rule — government
  11. fall — to drop
  12. season — of the year
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rule — a law
  17. season — in sport
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. fall — to drop
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. branch — a division
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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