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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: branch · racket · nail · coach · lash · spring · lie · content

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. content — happy
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. branch — a division
  11. spring — the season
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. content — the amount
  14. lie — to recline
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. spring — a coil
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. spring — of water
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — an eyelash

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