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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 · plane · chip · bark · lash · ball · lie · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cue — for pool
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. chip — to eat
  10. ball — a great time
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lie — to recline
  13. ball — a dance
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. branch — a division
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chip — for betting
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. ball — a round shape

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