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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: lash · land · stock · lie · branch · nail · ball · pitcher

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stock — shares
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. land — a country
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. branch — a division
  23. ball — a great time
  24. land — ground

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