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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: lie · bark · lash · charge · rash · rest · season · branch

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. rest — what's left
  5. charge — a price
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rest — a break
  12. bark — to shout
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. charge — in control
  15. rash — a series
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. branch — a division
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. rash — hasty
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. branch — of a tree

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