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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.

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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: firm · dip · leaves · pass · lash · wind · branch · foot

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. dip — to sink
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wind — moving air
  13. firm — decided
  14. wind — moving air
  15. firm — a company
  16. pass — a permit
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. foot — a measure
  21. firm — steady
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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