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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: stick · root · temple · branch · can · lash · ball · craft

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. can — to be able to
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. craft — a skill
  9. root — of a word
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. branch — a division
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — boats
  18. ball — a dance
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. can — a tin
  22. root — the cause
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. temple — side of the head

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