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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bowl · trunk · court · branch · rash · roll · racket · lash

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. court — for sport
  6. rash — hasty
  7. court — of a king
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. roll — a list
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rash — a series
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a cake
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. court — of law
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. branch — a division

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