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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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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: saw · kid · row · firm · lash · fine · scale · branch

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. firm — a company
  6. row — a line
  7. scale — in music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. kid — to tease
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. row — to paddle
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. kid — child
  22. scale — size or range
  23. branch — a division
  24. fine — high quality

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