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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 120 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: arm · content · bore · straw · current · racket · branch · lash

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. content — the amount
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. current — of water
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bore — to drill
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. content — happy

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